Attack of the Flying Foxes and the Battle for the Sanctuary
by VPVPVP
Summary: Two years after L of the BB&T, the Sanctuary de Amazon becomes threatened by the flying fox colony led by Cicatriz and Iracebeth who plan on invading it and taking it over based on a shocking reason other than simply seeing all birds as vermin. Blu and everyone else must rally together to protect their homes from the bats, even if it means waging the biggest war in history.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- prologue**

 **Hi, everyone. Here I am for the fifth instalment of my Rio series and the one I have been looking forward to do. In this story, Carla and her generation are now young adults and had left the nest while their parents had had a new clutch of one or two eggs and chicks. However, those chicks will have only a small role in this story. The majority of Carla's group had paired up with each other or with some other macaws, and everything is peaceful in the Sanctuary de Amazon. However, a big threat hangs in the distance, a threat that will threaten to tear things apart and cause serious problems for our feathered friends including Andromeda's clan. The clue is in the title of the story and you will have met a few of them in some parts of my previous stories. Now, those creatures are back with a very big and important appearance in this story and we'll also see why and how as the story progresses. Anyway, off we set.**

It had been three years since Carla and company had been to Guyana to save the Sanctuary de Amazon from losing its protected reserve status due to debt problems. Now Carla's generation were all young adults, though the young hyacinth macaws, such as Triton and Indigo, the first-brood son and daughter of Neptune and Ultramarine were still adolescents, coming close to adulthood. Carla's generation had all left the nest now and had settled down into hollows of their own though none of them planned on having chicks just yet. Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with their cousin Kira, and friends Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and their cousins Jojo, Felix and Lavender, second cousins Tyler and Ricardo, and Garrett, Músculo and Turquesa had all left the nests and had moved into hollows of their own. Some of them had become boyfriend/girlfriend couples. Justin and Carla had become a couple, as had Bia and Virgil, Tiago and Matilda, Charlotte and Músculo, Jojo and Kira, Felix and Turquesa and Lavender and Garrett. Tyler had become the boyfriend of Aurora, a beautiful female Spix macaw who had an elaborate singing voice much like Carla, Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix and Lavender while Ricardo had chosen to remain single. These Spix macaw couples have been dating for over three years now and their friendships had evolved into romance with the possibility of them becoming mates not too far away.

The first-brood offspring of Mars and Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, and Jupiter and Ruby's first-brood offspring, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto in the red tribe had also grown up into young adult green-winged and scarlet macaws. Phobos and Deimos, though they are now young adults, were unusually small; like how Chiquitita, their mother, had been with she had been their age. The two had opted against finding girlfriends and eventually mates and having chicks for they felt that they might pass on their small size, which was actually genetic, to their offspring. However, their brother Alexandre, and Io and her siblings had each paired up with another macaw. Alexandre had become a couple with Estelle, a female green-winged macaw who went with Alexandre, Carla and the others to Guyana to find the legendary treasure to save the sanctuary, while Io had paired up with Sheldon, a young male ruby macaw or half-scarlet, half green-winged hybrid macaw and the son of Ramon the scarlet macaw and Dani the green-winged macaw; Europa had paired up with a male scarlet macaw named Byron, Ganymede had paired up with Mimas, the eldest daughter of Saturn and Orquidea and Callisto had paired up with Athos, a former domesticated green-winged macaw and the leader of a quartet of birds brought back from Guyana, the other three being Porthos, a muscular male great green macaw, Aramis, a slender blue-and-gold macaw and Squaw'taganan, a male Lear's macaw.

While Mimas had become the girlfriend of Ganymede, the rest of her siblings had either paired up or had chosen to remain single. Enceladus was dating a female hyacinth macaw from the Bluewing Clan named Trixie while Tethys was the girlfriend of Oberon, the only first-brood son of Uranus and Esmeralda. Dione and Porthos were a couple as were Titan and Brooke, a female blue-and-gold macaw who had also been on the Guyana treasure-searching trip a few years ago. Only Iapetus and Rhea had chosen to remain single for they were not keen on dating. Oberon's sisters, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel and Titania had also paired up or had chosen to remain single as well. Miranda was dating Aramis while Umbriel dated Benjamin, the oldest son of Felipe and Pearl. Titania was the girlfriend of a male military macaw named Ash while Ariel had chosen to remain single.

Mercury and Sapphire's first-brood daughters, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and Ceres and Cobalto's first-brood sons, Aurelio, Azul and Wilbur had also left the nest like everyone else. Of these six, only Azul and Phoebe had paired up with another macaw. Azul was a couple with a female blue-throated macaw and Fernanda while Phoebe dated Squaw'tagnan, the Lear's macaw who had been sought after by Tulio and his assistant from Guyana a few years back. Meanwhile, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli's four first-brood offspring, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor, and Neptune and Ultramarine's two first-brood offspring, Triton and Indigo, continued living with their parents. Charon and Blueberry had paired up with Neytiri and Aiden respectively. Like Brooke and Estelle and also Sheldon, Neytiri had been on the Guyana treasure-hunting trip and had been the first one to discover the treasure in the Jurassic Jungle. She had grown into a more sensible macaw with a tough streak. Her cousin Juan, together with Quincy and Flor, the younger brother and sister of Charon and Blueberry, had chosen to remain single. Indigo and Triton were both dating Victor and Penelope, another friend of Carla's circle of friends, respectively and their relationships had grown strong.

As their first brood offspring had either left or were close to leaving the nests, the main cast couples had had another brood of chicks. Blu and Jewel's second brood were a son named Luke and a daughter named Linda whom Blu had named after his human companion. Luke had cerulean feathers like his mother but his eyes were brown like his father's. He had a stocky build like Blu but his crest was similar to Jewel and Bia's but like Bia's crest, it fell straight down. Linda had teal eyes like Jewel but blue feathers like Blu. She was slender and had a crest like Blu's. Both macaws bore blue-white eye patches similar to Blu but Linda's patches were bordered by dark blue band. The two young macaws were mischievous, much like Tiago had been, and loved to play pranks on other macaws though Linda liked art as well. The two chicks were around two years old but still kids, as were the other second-brood chicks.

Mercury and Sapphire's second brood consisted of just one chick, a son named Ozzy while Venus and Zephyr had two second brood chicks, a son named Azurite and a daughter named Aquamarine. The two were both named after blue minerals based on the colour of their feathers. Mars and Chiquitita's only daughter and chick of their second brood, Gabrielle had hatched before and during the events of Carla and company's trip to Guyana and thus was one of the oldest of the second-brood chicks. Jupiter and Ruby's second brood consisted of a daughter named Amalthea (named after a minor moon of Jupiter) and a son named Oliver. Saturn and Orquidea's two second-brood chicks were both sons. They were both named Hyperion (named after a moon of Saturn) and Gordon while Uranus and Esmeralda's only second brood chick was a son named Edmund (whom Uranus had named after a character from the _Chronicles of Narnia_ series. Neptune and Ultramarine also had just one chick for their second brood, another daughter named Violet (not to be confused with Violeta, the matriarch of the Bluewing Clan and Demetrio's mate). Violet had a rather unusually strong purple tint to her feathers, giving her plumage the appearance of being dark purple instead of navy blue. Ceres and Cobalto had two daughters for their second brood named Lucy (named after one of Ceres and the others' former owners) and Desdemona while Pluto and Lapis Lazuli had a single son in their second brood, a son named Charlie. Brisa and Roberto also had another brood of two chicks. They were a daughter named Ophelia and a son named Chilro (whose name was Portuguese for 'chirp'). These new additions to their families was like a new start of being parents for these couples, especially for Zephyr and Venus as they were reminded of raising Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil when they had Azurite and Aquamarine and then older siblings were proud to have new, younger siblings to their families as well.

While the larger macaw tribes and clans were enjoying life, many with new chicks and adolescents going out with their other halves, the smaller groups on the sanctuary, such as the blue-headed macaws and the chestnut-fronted macaws, were also continuing their usual daily routines. Mariposa, the daughter of club owner Skyla and her mate Jairo was dating Kiawe, a young male blue-headed macaw with a tough personality while Alessandro, the son of Murphy and Abigail, and a female chestnut-fronted macaw from his group, Rhiannon went out on nature trips to admire the colourful animals, flowers and sometimes even the stars. Andromeda and Eragon's clan of archaoebirds were also thriving in their own patch of territory. Chicks were being born and raised, parents hunted, the small species of bat-birds continued to be bred, trained and raised to be mounts for many clan members and the customs of the clan continued to flow. The archaeobirds continued to use their mastery of fire but they were very careful to keep it confined. After being told by the macaw tribe and clan leaders of the bad history they had had with fire, especially the two previous times, the archaeobirds had kept their use of fire entirely restricted to their territory. The archaeobirds loved their new home and were a peace-loving group of bizarre birds who got on very well with all the other avian residents around them, especially the Navyfeather Clan and the glaucous macaw tribe who were their nearest neighbours with the Spix macaw tribe.

The macaw tribes and clans themselves; much seemed to have changed within these bird flocks. In the Spix macaw tribe, Eduardo had stepped down as leader and passed it onto his daughter Jewel and her mate Blu. Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus had become part of the inner circle of birds with the former two being seconds-in-command for Roberto had been Jewel's closest childhood friend. Eduardo and Mimi, however, continued to stand by as advisors. In the red tribe, Felipe and Pearl were still leaders though Jupiter and Ruby were now seconds-in-command of the tribe since Ruby was Pear's sister. As for Mars and Chiquitita, they had become part of the inner circle of birds in the tribe. In the Lear's macaw tribe, Valentino and Rosalind had stepped down as leaders and had handed the role to Waldo and his mate Monique. Sapphire and Mercury had become seconds-in-commands as Sapphire was Waldo's half-sister. In the green and blue-and-gold macaw tribes, Alonso, Verde, Soleado and Zoie were still the leaders though Uranus, Esmeralda, Saturn and Orquidea had been initiated into the inner circle of birds as well, much like Jupiter, Ruby, Mars and Chiquitita in the red tribe, while in the glaucous macaw tribe, Lapis Lazuli and Pluto had also been given the roles as seconds-in-command by Rudi (Lapis Lazuli's cousin) and his mate Valeria. Marinho, the older brother of Ultramarine and Neptune's brother-in-law, was being trained by Flavio ready for becoming leader of the clan when Flavio retired, while Ultramarine and Neptune were to become the seconds-in-command. In the blue-throated macaw clan, Ceres and Cobalto continued to live as regular members of the clan with no initiation into the inner circle birds of the clan for they were not leader material, Cobalto had told Reynaldo and Anita.

Alongside the macaw and archaeobird tribes and clans, other small groups of birds had also been established on the sanctuary. One was a group of red-fronted macaws, the survivors of their clan when the flying foxes had driven them out to grab their land, and some others included a group of toco toucans and golden parakeets. Like the blue-headed and chestnut-fronted macaws, these groups consisted of close-knit groups of families who lived either in an unowned patch of the Sanctuary de Amazon or shared their space with a tribe or clan. Everyone indeed was living harmoniously and had been freed from the worry and threat of poaching and logging, which had not occurred for around six years since the previous poacher threat. Security of the sanctuary had been tightened such that only a few poachers got through but even then, those poachers were found out and caught. Peace really did reign in the Sanctuary de Amazon. However, that peace was soon to be threatened by every Amazon bird's worst enemy, alongside the territories on which the bird tribes and clans and other residents dwelt on, but it was not going to be from loggers…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- a usual day**

It was a lovely day in the Sanctuary de Amazon and the rest of the rainforest, and everyone was busily up to their daily activities. The sun hovered in an almost cloudless blue sky, bathing the rich environment with its golden shafts of light. In a certain ravine, a flock of very rare blue macaws were up to their usual business. Only this time, the two new leaders of the tribe, Blu and Jewel were performing the tasks Eduardo used to do when he led it. Eduardo, while was now a former leader, still advised his daughter and son-in-law whenever necessary. Jewel was setting up patrol groups while Blu played with Linda and Luke, his and Jewel's two latest additions to their family. While he did this, Zephyr, who had just had breakfast with his mate Venus and two young chicks Azurite and Aquamarine, was preparing to depart his tree to join a patrol group. Before leaving, he had said goodbye to his mate and new son and daughter. Azurite and Aquamarine were quite lovable chicks as their four older siblings, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil, who were now young adults along with Carla, Bia and Tiago and the rest, had been when they had been their age. Azurite looked a lot like Zephyr and has his lush blue feathers and green eyes but he had Venus's spec-like facial marks. Aquamarine had maya blue feathers and Venus's pigtail crests and amber eyes. However, her entire head was blue-white, like Zephyr, and her pigtail feathers, which were also blue-white, were tipped maya blue as though they had been dipped into maya blue paint. As Azurite and Aquamarine squirmed playfully in Venus's wings, Zephyr took off and flew over to a patrol group set up by Jewel. He touched down by Roberto, the second-in-command macaw, along with his mate Brisa, of the Spix macaw tribe.

"Hi, Zephyr," said Roberto with a smile, "You're just in time."

Zephyr breathed a sigh and scratched his ear feathers with a talon, a little habit he sometimes did. "Oh, I just wanted a little time with our new son and daughter," he said, "You know how demanding our second brood can be at times."

"You must feel like a new father again with those two," said Roberto with a shake of his head to shift some feathers from his face, "So do Brisa and I with our two second-brood chicks, Ophelia and Chilro."

Zephyr smiled at him. "How are those two doing?" he asked. Roberto nodded to Brisa across the ravine pool. Zephyr, at this, followed his gaze until his eyes landed on his sister. In Brisa's wings were two bundles. Ophelia had dark blue feathers, a blue-white head and a crest like Zephyr, as well as blue eyes like Roberto. However, she did not have any of Roberto's head feathers. Chilro, on the other hand, looked more like Roberto except that he was cerulean like his mother. His facial markings resembled that of Roberto's and he had green eyes.

"Why, my new niece looks a lot like me," said Zephyr with a fascinated smile, "It's surprising how alike nephews and nieces seem to their aunts and uncles. I know Charlotte looks a lot like Brisa. In fact she's a spitting image of her, the only difference being her chartreuse eyes."

He then gazed back at Roberto, as well as Roxie and Maximillian, the widowed father of Turquesa.

"So, what are the tasks today?" he asked.

"Examining the border of the green tribe's territory to the flying fox colony's territory, like usual," said Roxie.

"It's been peaceful over there, pretty much," said Maximillian, "Hopefully, it will stay that way."

"I hope so too," said Zephyr. He then shot Roberto, Maximillian and Roxie a frown. "Mind you, I've heard that the colony's leaders, Cicatriz and Iracebeth, have had another pup while Cicatriz's brother Augustus and his mate Melissa have had twins. I don't know what they are like but…"

"Well, we daren't think about it," said Roberto with a scowl of disgust. He absolutely loathed those bats and each time his blue eyes spotted one, he was always reminded of how a group of them had slaughtered his family when he was a chick in an unprovoked attack. Zephyr closed his beak on the subject, knowing how sensitive Roberto was to the subject. Then Jewel's voice caught his attention and all the patrollers turned to face her.

"Right, are we all ready?" asked the new matriarch of the Spix macaw tribe with a smile. The macaws nodded. At this, Jewel began to give them instructions.

"Okay, you are to fly to the Spix/green border," she said, "Alonso and some of his macaws will be there waiting for you. Then you are to follow him to the edge of his tribe's territory bordering the strip of unowned area dividing that boundary and the flying fox colony's territory. Follow his instructions on examining the border and then report back to us. You guys know what to do."

The macaw patrol group nodded and then at Jewel's command, the group opened their wings and took off for the ravine entrance/exit. From his hollow, Eduardo watched with his sister Mimi as she sent the patrol group away on their task.

"That's my girl," he said.

"Yep," said Mimi, "You have trained her well."

Eduardo's head then turned and saw Blu play with Linda and Luke. He was playing some form of chess, a human game Danny, one of Dash and Ginger's first-brood puppies, had taught him back in Rio. A large, flat slab of white wood was used as the board and Blu had painted it with black pen ink he had brought back from a city to create the checkerboard. The pieces were carved bits of wood made for Blu by one of the new macaws from Guyana and the boyfriend of Callisto, Athos for he was excellent at carving things out of wood. Eduardo smiled at his son-in-law and was pleased at his progress at adapting to the wild as well as the role as the new tribe patriarch, though he still kept some human things with him. However, it was Jewel who did most of the leading. Blu was more often involved in tasks like helping to set up patrol groups, teaching classes and raising Linda and Luke. Because he was quite shy and awkward, Blu preferred that Jewel, who was tougher, deal with the larger matters such as delegation and planning. Life certainly was sunny in the Spix macaw tribe's ravine and Eduardo, the former leader, was proud of it.

 **The red tribe's territory and home patch**

In Felipe's tribe's cluster of trees the scarlet and green-winged macaws called home, Felipe and Pearl were also setting up a patrol group to send to the green tribe to examine the border to the flying foxes' territory. Mars and Chiquitita were among the group of macaws and had left their youngest and only daughter, Gabrielle in the care of Jupiter and Ruby who also looked after Amalthea and Oliver, their own two second-brood chicks. As Gabrielle playfully chased her two scarlet macaw 'cousins', giggling, Jupiter and Ruby stood by their hollow, the latter leaning her head on the former's shoulder with the former's wings wrapped around her in a loving embrace as they looked on.

"Boy, those two sure remind me of when our older three daughters Io, Europa and Callisto, and son Ganymede when they were their age," cooed Jupiter lovingly. His brown eyes travelled to the said four scarlet macaws, now young adults, as they were perched on a tree in the distance. There were some blue, cerulean and yellow forms with them, some of the Spix, the blue-and-gold and blue-throated macaws visiting. Among the Spix macaws were Carla, Bia and Tiago and their respective other halves Justin, Virgil and Matilda. From the group, Jupiter picked out Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto and their respective other halves Sheldon, Byron, Mimas and Athos. Athos was a well-built macaw with a slightly stocky build. His feathers were lush red and his wings a brilliant leafy green and azure blue. His tail was also azure with blue tips but entirely red underneath. His face mask was similar in shape to Jewel's and enclosed his beak and eyes in the same way Jewel's face mask enclosed hers. His eyes were auburn, or reddish in the right light which was an unusual eye colour but he was not at all evil. Athos's crest was rather unusual. It was a rather large ruffle covering his entire crown and head back. Some of the feathers flowed forward towards his face. Athos had a love for carving things out of wood and was equipped with a sharp and very tough shard of wood, which he used as a carving tool. He never, ever used it as a weapon. Athos loved carving models for his friends, as he had done for Blu with the chess pieces, but the main macaw he often carved them for was Callisto.

When Athos and Callisto became acquaintances after he and his three 'brothers', Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan joined the jungle, Athos showed her his skills and taught her how to carve basic wooden models. Athos was also into soccer, much like Callisto and as the two spent more and more time together, they bonded and became boyfriend and girlfriend. Athos's three 'brothers', Porthos, a male blue-and-gold macaw, Aramis, a male great green macaw, and Squaw'tagnan, a male Lear's macaw, had also paired up with three other female macaws from Carla, Bia and Tiago's main circle of friends. Porthos had paired up with Dione, one of Titan and Mimas's sisters while Aramis had become Miranda's boyfriend and Squaw'tagnan, Phoebe's boyfriend. Porthos was a muscularly built macaw, similar to Jupiter, Ganymede and Músculo, Charlotte's boyfriend. Like all blue-and-gold macaws, Porthos had an aqua blue back, yellow front and green forehead. His eyes were a shade of blue and his crest was a sheet of feathers at the back of his head. He was very strong and was capable of lifting things his own weight. However, Porthos was humble and caring. Aramis was a slender great green macaw with a lithe build. Like all great greens or Buffon's, Aramis had green feathers with blue wing feathers, a red and blue tail, a red forehead and a yellow tint to his back feathers, wing and tail undersides. His eyes were green coloured and his head feathers was a flick at the back of his head. Aramis was the most agile and fastest of the group, and is rather like Roberto in personality. Aramis has an elaborate singing voice and is talented at soccer. However, he was rarely a show-off and was a kind and loving macaw. Squaw'tagnan was the youngest of the quartet and a rather short Lear's macaw. He had all the features of a Lear's macaw including the teal on the facial feathers. However, Squaw'tagnan also had teal on the coverts of his wings and upper parts of his tail as well. His eyes were dark blue and his build was somewhat chubby. Squaw'tagnan had an unusual crest. It was a very large cluster of curly feathers resembling the hat feather on a musketeer according to the macaws that had lived with humans, such as Blu, Carla, Bia and Tiago. It was as unique as Venus's pigtails, the Mohawk-like crest of Aiden and the three-layered Roberto-like crest of Felix. Squaw'tagnan was socially awkward at times and a little shy, but he was very brave and always willing to help his friends whenever they were in danger.

Just then the sounds of flapping filled the ears of Jupiter and Ruby and they turned to see the patrol group depart for the green tribe's territory.

"Well, there they go," said Ruby, "I hope we have some good news about the border to the flying foxes' territory."

"I'm sure we will, my precious gemstone," said Jupiter. Suddenly, his gaze snapped to the three young macaws as they curiously gazed over something brightly coloured. When Jupiter saw what it was, alarm flared within him.

"Get back from that creature this INSTANT!" he barked, making Gabrielle, Oliver and Amalthea jump and shoot him a startled look. Jupiter then flew over to the brightly coloured thing and saw that it was a neon blue and black frog. The little frog hopped away as Jupiter began to scold the three young red macaws.

"That's a poison dart frog and its skin is _extremely_ toxic," he said firmly, pointing to the neon blue and black frog. Jupiter was trembling slightly. One of the three macaws almost touched the frog's skin. "Had I not saw that, you would have been poisoned. That's the last thing anyone needs. Whenever you see brightly coloured frogs like that, you're NEVER to touch their skins. Is that clear?"

Amalthea, Gabrielle and Oliver all nodded and said, "Yes, Dad (or Uncle in Gabrielle's case), much to Jupiter's smile and nod. Then Ruby came in, a stern look on her face.

"Yes, those frogs could harbour some serious toxins on their skin and you don't want to touch them," she said. Then Amalthea, Oliver and Gabrielle flew off to Jupiter and Ruby's tree, Ruby and Jupiter following. As the two followed the three young chicks into the hollow, Jupiter gazed at Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto as they were perched next to their respective other halves, the scarlet/green-winged hybrid Sheldon, Byron the male scarlet macaw, Mimas from the blue-and-gold macaw tribe and Athos the green-winged macaw. Jupiter also picked out Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre and his girlfriend Estelle, and Carla, Bia, Tiago and their respective other halves Justin, Virgil and Matilda, and also Charlotte and Músculo, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Turquesa, Garrett and Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora as they laughed and talked. Jupiter smiled and then entered his hollow.

 **The blue-and-gold macaw tribe's home patch**

Saturn and Orquidea were on an outing with a group of blue-and-gold macaw chicks, among them their second brood sons Hyperion and Gordon and teaching them about the environment. With the pair were Rhea and Iapetus, two of their large first brood of seven. Unlike Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Titan, Rhea and Iapetus had chosen to remain single despite Rhea being asked out by some male blue-and-gold macaws several times and Iapetus being admired by some females. The two served as helpers in keeping an eye on the class of chicks, numbering about thirteen and all aged two or three years old, during their outing into the blue-and-gold macaw tribe's territory. Flashes of various shades of aqua blue, yellow and green indicated the presence of other blue-and-gold macaws as they flew around in the trees around the group. After flying through the trees and canopy for another while, Saturn then stopped the class and began to talk about jaguars; the class perched among a cluster of leaves. He commanded the chicks to keep quiet.

"Jaguars are the top predators, or meat eaters of the forest floor," whispered the male blue-and-gold macaw, "And because of that, they are extremely dangerous, especially for macaws such as us. There's a mother jaguar below us and she has two cubs."

And with that, he nodded to Orquidea who pushed aside some leaves. Then the chicks, including Hyperion and Gordon, peered out. When their eyes landed on a magnificent feline creature with a golden pelt with numerous rosette spots painted all over it, the kids drew in a silent breath of awe. From this height, the group was safe from the jaguar. When giving lessons about these big cats, a macaw group always avoided landing on the forest floor due to safety reasons. The jaguar, her gleaming, piercing golden eyes scanning the undergrowth and her ears pricked for any sounds of forest floor prey, sauntered silently along the green maze of vegetation. Her tail thrashed at the air like a thick whip while her paws paced slowly along the ground. Then behind the jaguar, two more appeared, playfully rolling about and gently hitting each other with their paws. One had the same pelt pattern as the mother but the other was entirely black, its rosette pattern just visible in the right light. As they played, the mother gazed back at them.

"Jaguars are usually solitary, or lone, creatures," whispered Saturn as the group watched the mother jaguar walk on with her two cubs following, continuously playing and squeaking, "Except when the female has cubs as you can see here. The black cub is known as a melanistic jaguar. A certain gene has prevented its pelt from being golden with rosette spots, resulting in an all-black pelt as you can see there…"

Hyperion and Gordon and their eleven classmates all gazed at the black cub as it chased after its usual-coloured sibling. Then the two cubs began to weave in and out of their mother's legs, much to the amusement of the blue-and-gold macaws.

"Jaguars are often hunted by humans for their fur, aren't they, Mr Saturn?" asked one of the female chicks.

"That is true, Sophia," said Saturn with a nod, "Like us macaws, especially the rare macaw species like the Spix and the glaucous, jaguars are highly sought after for their pelt."

Saturn then stood up and added, "When I lived in London, a city in a country across the Atlantic Ocean, I have seen a jaguar rug once before. At first I thought it was an amazing piece of artwork," Saturn then sighed and made a frown, "But after a scarlet macaw friend told me that it had come from a living animal, I was rather repulsed. So were Susan and Lucy, two of my human friends who raised me and some other macaws, among them Jupiter from the red macaw tribe."

"But thanks to some other human friends," said Orquidea, "who had set up this area as a sanctuary, the jaguar population in this area is slowly recovering. Like us, they are protected from poaching and also habitat loss from logging…"

While Saturn continued talking with the kids about the mother jaguar and its cubs, Rhea gazed at Iapetus.

"I remembering witnessing a jaguar successfully kill a capybara once," whispered Rhea, "We were on an outing and we saw a jaguar stalk the poor rodent and slam its jaws onto its neck. It was a pretty gruesome sight."

"That's how jaguars kill, sis," said Iapetus, "They sink their teeth into the neck region of their prey to snap their spines."

Suddenly, Rhea heard Saturn's call to move on. With that, she ushered some of the kids to follow him and Orquidea before following herself. As the group of blue-and-gold macaws left the spot, Rhea flew alongside Saturn.

"So you've seen big cat pelts used in fur coats and rugs, haven't you Dad?" she asked surprised.

"I have several times," said Saturn in reply, "That jaguar rug was one of them. Another time I've seen a white Siberian tiger fur coat. A tiger is a cat like the jaguar but has stripes instead of rosettes or spots." Saturn made a slight frown. "I've never really liked the sight of animal pelts, most of the time to be honest. While it is true that humans sometimes kill animals for survival reasons, like food and for clothing, especially for cold conditions, but for their skins for fashion, I see there's no point."

Rhea and Iapetus did not know how to reply to this. Then suddenly, Orquidea's voice snapped them out of their surprised gazes.

"Hey, is that Skyla and Jairo and some of their neighbours from the blue-headed macaw group who live on our territory, I wonder how they are doing."

"Shall we go and say hello?" asked Saturn. Iapetus and Rhea smiled as their gaze caught Mariposa, now an adult, and her boyfriend Kiawe.

"Sure, but we can't talk with them for long," said Orquidea, "We have a lesson still in progress."

The group then reached an agreement and flew off after Skyla's little group to catch them. As soon as the small groups had crossed paths, the blue-and-gold and blue-headed macaws entered into conversation. Iapetus and Rhea greeted Mariposa and Kiawe.

"Hi, you two," said Rhea, "Did you get a glimpse of that jaguar and her two cubs?"

"No," said Mariposa, "Where did you spot them?"

"Not too far away from here, on the forest floor," said Iapetus, "One of the cubs was all-black."

"Oh, we've seen a melanistic jaguar before," said Kiawe, "Bia and Ganymede had explained to us how its black fur is the result of some genetic mutation or something. The term they used was 'dominant… allele' or something like that. Whatever 'allele' means…"

"It's the name for a variant of a gene," said Rhea. She then shook her head. "It's complicated. Bia and Ganymede or even Blu are the ones to ask since they have an excellent grasp on these fancy terms…"

"Huh, scientific topics sound like another language in of themselves," said Kiawe with a slight titter and a shake of his head, his very unique flame-like crest feathers shaking somewhat. "Sometimes I cannot get what those three means whenever they talk about genetics, nature or the night sky…"

Suddenly, Rhea and Iapetus heard Saturn call their names.

"Oh, aye, sorry for such a short meeting but we'd better go," said Rhea, "We'll have a proper talk another time, okay?"

"Yeah, we're in the middle of a lesson," said Iapetus. And with that, the two young adult blue-and-gold macaws left with the chicks and their parents, leaving Kiawe and Mariposa to gaze after them.

"They sure are quite busy," said Mariposa, "Considering the number of chicks born in the blue-and-gold macaw tribe in the past two years."

"I think all the tribes and clans are doing well, including that recently established clan of those feathered creatures with those prehensile tails and feathered legs," said Kiawe. Then with that, the pair followed the other blue-headed macaws at Skyla and Jairo's call.

 **The Lear's tribe's ravine**

In the ravine awash with brightly coloured speckles of flowers and fruit trees on the bottom and sides, a quite large grove of licuri palm nut trees in the centre, countless holes dotting one side of the sandstone cliffs and a stream running through it on the floor from three converging small waterfalls at the back opposite the entrance, dozens and dozens and dozens of navy blue birds with teal-tinted facial feathers and chests, orange-yellow or yellow eye patches and beak lappets and black beaks and talons were flying about. The licuri palm tree grove, with the occasional fruit tree such as the odd mango trees dotting it, was decorated with a lot of the dark navy blue birds that fed on the nuts. The licuri palm nut formed a major part of a Lear's macaw's diet but this tribe had also adapted to eating other foods as well, such as mangoes, since they migrated from the main colony of Lear's macaws that lived in North-East Brazil. A certain pair of Lear's macaws stood atop one of the cliffs overlooking the Lear's macaw tribe up to their various activities. Mercury and Sapphire sat side by side, the latter leaning on the former as they gazed at the dozens and dozens of Lear's macaws scattered across the colourful ravine. Their older daughters, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette, together with Squaw'tagnan, were in the licuri palm grove, chatting and eating the palm nuts while their only son, Ozzy was in a class.

The couple was taking the opportunity to have some lone time together and they talked about past times.

"Boy, do you remember coming here four years ago and you were reunited with your half-brother and friends?" asked Mercury, his head resting on Sapphire's crown and wing draped over her back, "It doesn't seem like four years ago."

"Time flies, Merc," crooned Sapphire lovingly, "It's amazing how fast it goes sometimes."

Mercury then gazed at Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan as they sat on a branch on the edge of the licuri palm grove, chatting and nuzzling.

"And it's hard to believe that one of our daughters has become the girlfriend with another Lear's macaw as well," he said, "While Annette and Jasmine don't seem bothered about finding boyfriends and possibly mates at all."

"Maybe they will in time, dear," said Sapphire. She then breathed a loving sigh as her mind began to run through memories of when she and Mercury first met in Rio, became mates and had their three daughters.

"And the hatching of Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette back in Rio doesn't seem like six years ago either," she crooned, "It's hard to believe that they're young adults now."

"That was the time when Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago," said Mercury, "Alongside Zephyr, Venus, Brisa and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil were the last known Spix macaws alive and Pluto, Lapis Lazuli, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor were the very last known glaucous macaws before the discovery of the Spix and glaucous macaw tribes. I definitely remember seeing the joyous faces on Tulio and his team, especially Susan and Lucy, when they have found out that Venus and Zephyr had had a clutch of four eggs and that Pluto and Lapis Lazuli had finally bred as well."

Sapphire tittered in agreement. "Oh, Venus and Zephyr, those two always seem to have love hearts around them, similar to Blu and Jewel."

She then gazed up at Mercury lovingly and added, "I think we were like that as well before we had Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette. In fact we still are at times."

Mercury gazed down at her and said, "Yeah, I guess so."

The two Lear's macaws then turned to gaze into each other's eyes, their wings wrapping each other in a loving embrace and their beaks and foreheads touching.

"You know I love you so much, Mercury," whispered Sapphire romantically. Mercury then leaned forward, his beak aiming for hers but before the two beaks could connect, a voice interrupted them.

"Hey, lovebirds," it said. At this, the couple snapped out of their romantic trance and looked at the speaker. Waldo, who had spoken stood with his mate Monique a few feet away. The two gazed at them when they saw that Mercury and Sapphire were in the middle of a romantic moment.

"Oh, sorry," said Monique apologetically, "Did we interrupt you?"

"Um, yeah," said Sapphire, "We were about to share a kiss."

"Oh, do excuse us," said Waldo. Then Mercury and Sapphire broke their embrace and turned to face him and Monique.

"So how is your little daughter Delores doing?" asked Mercury with a smile.

"Oh, she's doing fine," said Waldo with a smile, "She's in a class with your son Ozzy. She's really fascinated with nature."

"Her favourite animals are those poison dart frogs," said Monique, "Honestly we had to be very firm with her not to touch those toxic amphibians' skins."

"Oh, yeah, those frog's skins are known for producing highly poisonous liquids," said Mercury. Waldo and Monique nodded in agreement.

"So, what do you want?" asked Sapphire.

"We're here to relay you Valentino and Rosalind, our former leaders' message," said Waldo.

"They would like to speak to you two about your roles as seconds-in-command of our tribe."

"Oh, right," said Sapphire, "Does they want to meet us in their hollow?"

"Yes," said Monique. At this, Mercury and Sapphire looked at each other.

"Looks like our romantic moment is going to have to wait, dear," said Sapphire with a slight disappointed curve in her beak. And with that, she opened her wings and took off after Waldo and Monique. Mercury shrugged and followed.

 **The boundary of the green tribe's territory to the flying foxes' territory**

"Doesn't look like those flying foxes are up to mischief like usual," said Mars as he flew parallel to the green tribe's feather marked border, gazing out into the expanses of the flying mammal colony and making the final checks. The green macaw tribe used moulted feathers to decorate the trees along the edge of their territory to the flying foxes' land in order to mark this boundary as the boundary closest to the flying foxes' territory. The flying foxes detested birds in their territory and will not hesitate to kill any of them, even stragglers that had accidentally wandered into their land, on the spot, so the feather marks served as a safety barrier to all the avian residents not to cross this point. The blue-and-gold macaw tribe marked their boundary running along the flying foxes' land with blue and yellow feathers while the Bluewing hyacinth Clan and blue-throated macaw clan used moulted blue-throated and hyacinth macaw feathers to mark the trees of their territory edge nearest to the bats' land as well. As Mars finished gazing into the flying foxes' land from the safety of the marked border, Chiquitita, Roberto, Zephyr, Maximillian and several other Spix and red macaws sent to the green macaw tribe's territory by Jewel and Pearl stood perched on a tree with Alonso and some great green and military macaws, among them Uranus, Esmeralda and their five first-brood offspring, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Miranda was with her boyfriend Aramis, Umbriel with her scarlet macaw boyfriend Benjamin who was Felipe and Pear's oldest son, Titania was with her military macaw boyfriend named Ash while Oberon stood with Tethys who had come from the blue-and-gold macaw tribe to visit Oberon.

When Alonso heard Mars's report, he said, "That's brilliant. Let's hope it stays that way like usual."

Then as soon as Mars returned, Alonso shouted, "Vamos!" and soon, the mixed flock of great green, military, scarlet, green-winged and Spix macaws, and blue-and-gold in the case of Tethys, all opened their wings and took off in the direction of the green tribe's home patch. As they flew along, Alonso looked stern.

"And I really hope that Cicatriz and Iracebeth continue to stick to the truce of no intrusions as well," he added. The green tribe patriarch then huffed in disgust. "Huh, those two colony leaders are downright, barbaric maniacs."

"And I believe Cicatriz's younger brother Augustus and his mate Melissa are the same as well," said Zephyr with a frown.

"I've never met any of those flying foxes before," said Aramis as he flew alongside Miranda, "What are they like? Are they seen often?"

Roberto flew alongside him, a dark look on his face.

"I hope you never do," he said, "When I was a chick, a group of those large bats jumped out at us and slaughtered my entire family. My dad only had enough energy to get me who had received only a few cuts and bruises, to safety before dying from his injuries." Roberto hardened his look. "They're a bunch of totally savage winged furballs, those bats, always attacking birds without reason."

"They also see us as vermin," added Miranda. Aramis flinched in utter revulsion.

"Why would they see us in the same way humans often see rats or pesky insects?" he asked in utter shock and disbelief. Because he was domesticated, Aramis, along with Athos, Porthos and Squaw'tagnan were familiar with human things and terms.

"We don't know the reason," said Alonso, "But the only thing we know about those bats and their view of us birds is that they see us as pesky animals that should be driven out so that our land would become theirs. They've already driven out several macaw clans for the past few years."

"But there HAS to be an ulterior reason behind why they treat us birds like that," said Aramis with a frown.

"Well, I don't want any of us risking our lives or the fragile truce going over there to find out, Aramis," said Alonso firmly, "What they do is none of our business. Anyway, let's return to my tribe's home patch and prepare to deliver the report."

Aramis gazed at the tribe patriarch with confused eyes but when he saw the agreeing and firm looks from Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon and Benjamin, Tethys, Ash, Uranus and Esmeralda, as well as Roberto, Zephyr and some of the other macaws, he admitted defeat and flew on. Then the mixed group of macaws continued in the direction of the green tribe's home patch.

 **The Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory**

Cobalto, Ceres, Azul, Aurelio and Wilbur were having a family outing with Fernanda and the brothers' younger sisters, Lucy and Desdemona. Fernanda was the girlfriend of Azul. She had a slender build, violet eyes and a sheet of feathers atop her crown. She was an uncommonly coloured blue-throated macaw. Rather than dark blue and rich yellow-orange like most of the macaws, her back and throat mark were turquoise or aqua blue while her front was yellow. Some blue-throated macaws did have paler colours such as yellow and aqua blue like most blue-and-gold macaws but these colourations were uncommon. Around the group were flashes of dark navy blue, paler blue and yellow-orange indicating the presence of hyacinth and blue-throated macaws. With the group of eight blue-throated macaws were Enceladus, one of Saturn and Orquidea's sons and Trixie, a hyacinth macaw from the Bluewing Clan with whom Enceladus had become close. Pairings of hyacinth macaws with macaws of other species were very rare, largely due to the size difference of the hyacinths with the smaller species but it hasn't been unheard of. Falkor the milicinth macaw's parents had been a hyacinth/military pairing; resulting in his hybridisation and it seemed that Trixie and Enceladus would become a hyacinth/blue-and-gold pairing if they kept their relationship up. However, despite the size difference, Trixie had taken like in Enceladus's interest in nature, especially insects for she liked insects too. Since then, the two had been out on insect hunting trips and had bonded.

Trixie was a pretty hyacinth macaw with a slender build. Her crest was identical in shape to Roxie and Cherie's and she had all the features of a hyacinth macaw. Trixie's eyes were unusual. Her left eye was blue while her right eye was green. According to Blu, Bia and Ganymede, this condition was known as heterochromia, where the irises of each eye were their own colour and Trixie must have developed it from a mutation. Trixie was a young adult hyacinth macaw who had just entered adulthood. Because of this, she was old enough to have a boyfriend. As the little group flew along, Ceres smiled.

"Hey, guys have you heard about the Pit of Games championships starting soon?" she asked. The Pit of Doom had been renamed the Pit of Games since the term 'Pit of Doom' no longer applied since all the avian residents on the Sanctuary de Amazon now lived peacefully. The games had now become friendly and since then, a championship league had developed.

"Yes," said Cobalto with a smile, "The first game is to be between the Spix and the Lear's macaws. I look forward to seeing it."

"It's hard to believe that the Pit of Doom, or the Pit of Games as we should call it now," said Ceres, "was used for territory conflict resolutions."

"But since we have all become peaceful with each other," said Cobalto, "That role had fallen into disuse but at least that giant crater will still be used for soccer and that."

"Soccer," said Azul with a smile, "It's a favourite game among some of our friends, especially Callisto, Athos and Charlotte."

"So when is the first game going to go ahead?" asked Wilbur.

"Next week, son," said Cobalto, his gaze flashing to Desdemona and Lucy as they played nearby and making sure that they did not wander off.

"It's gonna be a lot of fun," said Aurelio excitedly, "Even Andromeda's clan and the hyacinth macaws are going to play as part of the league."

"That is true," said Trixie as she flew alongside Enceladus who was almost half her size, "However, the hyacinths are going to be more careful due to our size compared to the smaller species of macaws and other birds."

"Mariposa and Alessandro's groups are also going to be participating too," said Enceladus, "As will the golden conure, the toco toucan and the red-fronted macaw groups."

Ceres then stared dreamily into space. "Ah, it sure is gonna be great," she breathed. As the group flew along, another small group of colourful birds, four metallic coloured creatures riding on two bizarre bat-like creatures, emerge from a cluster of trees. Fernanda spotted them.

"Hey, isn't that Pluto, Neptune and some of the macaws and archaeobirds from Rudi, Flavio and Andromeda's tribes and clans?"

"It is," said Cobalto as he also recognised the group of birds. He then flew off after them and called to them.

"Hey, guys!" he called. At this, the other group, which were indeed Pluto and Neptune and some of their friend from the Navyfeather Clan, the glaucous macaw tribe and the archaeobird clan, stopped and turned to meet Cobalto with smiles.

"Hi, Cobalto," cried Neptune with a wide smile on his beak, "We've just come here for a visit."

With Neptune and Pluto were Charon, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden who were now young adults, and Triton, Penelope, Victor and Indigo, as well as Anakin and Spock who had two smaller archaeobirds riding with them on their bat-bird mounts.

"Yeah," said Pluto and with that, he nodded to Anakin and Spock and said, "We're giving Andromeda and Eragon's new son and daughter, Bellerophon and Pandora, a tour of the blue-throated macaw and Bluewing hyacinth macaw clans' home and territory."

At this, Cobalto, Ceres, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio, Fernanda, Enceladus and Trixie's eyes travelled to two bundles of metallic feathers in Spock and Anakin's fore-wings. One of them was a metallic aqua blue male with metallic yellow patches on his wing and tail feathers while the other was a dark metallic blue female with the feathers on her wings, legs and prehensile tail tip tipped with metallic orange and yellow, like flames. The two creatures' eyes, both of which were pale blue, gazed curiously at Cobalto's group. When Desdemona and Lucy waved, the two shyly ducked into Anakin and Spock's wings, much to the latter two's amusement.

"They're quite shy, unlike their older brother and Andromeda and Eragon's older first-brood son, Spyro," said Anakin, "So don't worry if it seems like my new nephew and niece and Spock's first-cousins-once-removed are being a bit impolite. They are not."

"Oh, no offense taken," said Ceres, "When I was young, I had been pretty shy too."

Then Neytiri and Charon came forward.

"You looking forward to the game starting up between the Spix and Lear's macaws next week?" asked Neytiri excitedly.

"Yes we are," said Azul with a smile. He then gazed at Spock and Anakin and added, "And I look forward to seeing their clan participate as well."

"We had to learn how to play the game on our bat-bird mounts," said Anakin, glancing down at his bat-bird mount, a male green-grey one, "Since we cannot actually fly like you macaws can, we've had to train our mounts to chase after the ball."

"It has taken us months to get used to it," said Spock, "But we've finally made it in the end. Some of our clan members, among them Ophiuchus, are now excellent soccer players."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Cobalto. He then gazed at Neptune and said, "So, how are you and Ultramarine doing on your training to becoming seconds-in-command of the Navyfeather Clan?"

Neptune brushed his head feathers with a talon. "Tricky at times," he said, "And Marinho, my brother-in-law looks somewhat stressed about the role."

"Uncle Flavio is close to retiring," said Indigo, "And it won't be long until Uncle Marinho will be taking over as leader."

Ceres was about to reply when suddenly, a rustle of leaves startled the group. Then next, two turquoise and grey blurs erupted from them, followed by a small navy blue and purple blur.

"Hey, Violet, I bet you can't fly through that clutter of twigs," shouted one of the turquoise blurs, the other tittering, much to Pluto's annoyance and disapproval.

"Oh, yeah?" snapped the dark purple streak, "I'll make you eat those words!"

And with that, the little blue-purple bird rocketed towards a tightly packed cluster of branches of the nearby tree and tried flying agilely fly through them. However, the little macaw, which was Neptune and Ultramarine's new daughter Violet, slammed into a Y-shaped node in one of the branches and slid down, dazed.

"VIOLET!" barked Neptune. At this, Violet gazed up at her feather.

"What have I told you about trying to fly through a tight clutter of branches?" asked Neptune, Pluto hovering next to him, a disapproving look on his face.

"I'm getting too big for that," murmured Violet. With that, she wearily got up and fluttered over to Neptune. As she complained to him, Anakin began to lecture her.

"Violet," he said, "Your species is a massive bird and if you continue to fly through cluttered spaces like that, you're gonna hurt yourself…"

At this, Violet whirled round and snapped at Anakin.

"I was talking to Dad," she retorted, "Not you!"

"And Violet," said Pluto, "I expect respect for your elders too, especially from other clans."

Violet just made a disgruntled face. "But it was Charlie and Chico's idea in the first place," she muttered. At this, Pluto's gaze snapped to the two glaucous macaw chicks as they returned. At this, he ordered Charlie, who was his younger son and the younger brother of Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor, and his friend to a specific spot to have a word with them. As the three left, Neptune gazed at Ceres's group.

"We're sorry about this," he said apologetically, "We've been asked to keep watch of Chico and he can be a little mischievous at times."

Ceres, Cobalto, Azul, Aurelio, Wilbur and Fernanda, Trixie and Enceladus just breathed.

"We hyacinth macaws are not built to fly through tight clutters anyway," said Trixie. Then Ceres felt it was time to leave.

"Well, it is nice to meet you lot but I would like to continue our outing while you continue your introductory tour for Anakin and Spock's new relatives," she said, "And I'll see you lot another time."

"Okay, we'll see you," said Neptune with a smile. Anakin and Spock waved goodbye as did Blueberry, Charon, Neytiri, Aiden, and Victor, Penelope, Triton and Indigo as Ceres's group disappeared into the trees. Aiden smiled.

"I sure like Desdemona and Lucy," he said as he watched the two young blue-throated macaws follow their family into the trees. "I've been told that they're not as mischievous or even reckless as some kids."

"I agree," said Neptune with a frown.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- romance in the air**

Night had descended on the Sanctuary de Amazon and all the diurnal (day-active) animals had gone to bed. However, some had remained up. Night-time patrol groups from the tribes and clans were out on their usual tasks while some other adult macaws remained awake, spending time together or to simply admire the stars. Some young couples were also out, spending some time together as well. The night sky was cloudless, a near-full moon hovering in the sea of glitter formed by the stars. The moon was indeed very bright and its light reflected from the sun shone like a silvery mirror onto the rainforest, turning it into a mystic-looking jungle with its silver shafts.

 **Justla (Justin and Carla)**

 _ **The song 'Everywhere' by Fleetwood Mac from the '80s plays in the background**_

The night jungle was awash with the silver shafts of moonlight. Speckles of light caused by the glows of fireflies danced gently like moving stars in the silvery ocean of trees. However, a couple of blue macaws were also flying like a pair of winged fish through the ocean as well. Carla and Justin flew through the ocean of moonlight and the mystic-looking canopy. Carla's cerulean feathers seemed to glow brightly in the moonlight shafts while Justin's darker blue feathers appeared to transform him into some sort of reflective macaw as well. The two macaws flew through the moonlit jungle, admiring the fireflies on the go. Soon, the couple had stopped by a cluster of leaves, some cup shaped and that have collected rainwater. The two nuzzled lovingly as they watched the star-like dots of light dance over the glistening leaf cups holding the rainwater. Suddenly, one of the fireflies flitted up towards Carla and Justin, buzzing near Carla's face. At this, Carla's wing darted out to swat it but Justin gently restrained her wing. Carla, at this, gazed at Justin in surprise and then moved her eyes towards the firefly as it then gently rested on her wing like a tiny star.

Carla's eyes then travelled upward to Justin's. Justin gazed back lovingly with liquid amber eyes, the eye colour he had inherited from his mother Venus, while Carla's emerald green eyes, which she had inherited from her grandfather Eduardo through her mother Jewel, glistened as she gazed back into Justin's pair of amber jewels. Then Carla leaned lovingly onto Justin's shoulder and he leaned his head onto her crown, a wing snaking around Carla's back and draping her. Later, the couple was on the move again, this time heading back to the ravine of the Spix macaw tribe. The sound of the waterfall filled their ears and as the couple perched onto the top of one of the cliffs, they gazed lovingly at the waterfall, which sent out sprays that glistened like liquid silver in the moonlight. The ravine pool also resembled a pool of liquid silver as it beautifully reflected the moonlight and more firefly stars danced over the surface of the water and the giant lily-pads thrown over the ravine pool. Carla and Justin gazed lovingly into the paradise-like ravine air of their tribe's home and then at each other with love-flooded glittering eyes.

"Oh, Justin, what a beautiful night," cooed Carla lovingly as she leaned onto her boyfriend's shoulder with a wing draped over his back, "Too bad this will all end soon when the morning comes."

Justin draped a wing over her back and leaned onto her crown. The two sat on top of the cliff in the sea of moonlight in their loving embrace as they continued to watch the stars of the fireflies dance over the moonlit ravine pool and lily-pads below.

 **Virgia (Virgil and Bia)**

 _ **The song 'Can't Fight This Feeling' by REO Speedwagon from the '80s plays in the background**_

Somewhere else in the beautiful jungle awash with the sea of moonlight, Bia and Virgil were resting in a mango tree grove, eating a mango each. Around them fireflies danced like little stars through the air. Virgil had decided to test Bia's knowledge of scientific terms in a simple animal hunt using a couple of wood pieces Athos had carved for them as gifts to simulate a jaguar and its prey.

"Okay, let's go," said Virgil with a smile as he held a jaguar-shaped piece of wood and placed it on the surface of the branch. Bia was lying on her front, her wings under her chin and her hazel eyes gazing at the jaguar model in Virgil's wing.

"A jaguar is hungry and it has found a suitable prey animal, a capybara," said Virgil, the jaguar figure in some leaves and another wooden animal figure, a capybara, in the other wing simulating a capybara walking gently through the bush. "What are the scientific names of the jaguar and the capybara?" asked Virgil.

" _Panthera onca_ and _Hydrochoerus hydrochaeri,"_ replied Bia. Virgil then smiled and continued with the simulation of the jaguar hunt.

"The jaguar is now creeping slowly and silently towards the capybara as it grazes by the Amazon River," he said, moving the jaguar piece slowly through the leaves, "Being careful not to alert the capybara of its presence and listening to its location."

"That is stealth using camouflage," said Bia with a smile.

"Yep," said Virgil. "With its golden pelt and rosette spot pattern, the jaguar is more difficult to see in the dappled light of the forest. The jaguar continues to stalk its prey, getting closer to it inch by inch while the prey continues to graze on some vegetation, completely unaware of its predator's presence and with its back turned to the jaguar's location…"

Virgil then moved the jaguar piece closer to the capybara piece and said, "And when the jaguar is close enough to its prey of choice, making sure that it is in the blind-spot of its prey, it then makes it move…"

"Ambush," said Bia.

"Correct," said Virgil and with that, he began to simulate the jaguar leaping out at the capybara from behind. "And in the element of surprise, the jaguar leaps at the capybara from its cover, its teeth and claws poised for the kill," he said, "The capybara trues to flee but it is too late and the jaguar strikes it down…"

He simulated this by hitting the capybara piece with the jaguar piece.

"And with a bite to its skull or a swipe from a jaguar's paw, the capybara is dispatched by the big cat," said Bia with a smile, "Before the prey is now taken away by the jaguar to eat."

"Yes, absolutely," said Virgil and with that, he packed the two carvings away, the simulation finished.

"You certainly are getting better at your ecology knowledge, Bia," said Virgil with a smile. Bia smiled in return and moved over to nuzzle against Virgil's cheek. Virgil nuzzled in return lovingly.

"You know, when I have kids of my own someday," murmured Bia romantically, "I would like to share my scientific books and knowledge with them."

"That sounds like an awesome plan," said Virgil. Bia smiled and put a wing to Virgil's cheek to stroke it. Then she pulled Virgil head towards her own and locked beaks with his. The two shared a romantic kiss, their wings on each other's head sides. Then the two stood up and Virgil wrapped his wings around Bia's midsection and lifted her up to swing her around in a circle. Bia put her wings out as she spun around in the air. Then as Virgil placed Bia back down on her feet and the two locked each other in a loving embrace, Raul (now a young adult and a former close friend of Bia) happened to come by. He shot the couple a slight glare before moving on, obviously not wanting to interfere. Since his betrayal of Bia to Aguamarina two years ago, and though Bia had forgiven him, she and Raul were still uneasy around each other. However, Raul had been upset that Bia had chosen to go with Virgil instead of with him but he decided not to interfere and move on.

 **Tiatilda (Tiago and Matilda)**

 _ **The song 'True Colours' by Cyndi Lauper from the '80s plays in the background**_

Somewhere else, Tiago and Matilda were perched atop a tree in the highest branch, admiring the star-strewn sky and near-full moon. The couple were talking about the events of today, including a couple of pranks they have played.

"Boy, it sure was funny watching Aunt Mimi's reaction when we splashed water over her head during her nap, wasn't it?" giggled Matilda. Tiago nodded. When Mimi had her usual nap, her face covered with mud and a pair of flowers over her eyes, Tiago and Matilda had crept up on her with a large coconut shell of water and had tossed it over her head. The chill of the water had jolted Mimi from her nap, resulting in her springing up as though the branch had suddenly spouted thorns. Shrieks of shock had exploded from her beak and Tiago and Matilda had dived into hiding, laughing their heads off. However, Mimi had not been rather impressed but amusement had tinted her annoyance at the two pranksters. When she told the others including her niece Jewel and brother Eduardo what Tiago and Matilda had done to her, everyone, including Jewel and Eduardo, had burst out laughing much to the bemusement of the older plump female macaw.

Another prank involved the two, along with Europa and Byron, screeching through sticks shaped like a human thing called megaphones (they were cone shaped which made them ideal tools since they could amplify someone's voice) behind Jupiter and Ruby while they were having a romantic moment. The two scarlet macaws had leaped about three feet into the air from the branch, their feathers bushed out and on end much to the amusement of Tiago and Matilda, Europa and Byron and the four had rocketed out with an annoyed but amused Jupiter in hot pursuit.

"I also remember Uncle Jupiter and Aunt Ruby's appearance after we had startled them with Europa and Byron by screeching through those megaphone-like sticks behind them," tittered Matilda, "Honestly, they looked like they had had an electric shock."

"Yeah, that was outright hilarious," said Tiago. The two then laughed a bit. Then Matilda's green eyes travelled upward to the stars above the couple.

"You know, one of these days your dad Uncle Blu told us, I think any kids we decide to have might inherit our love for light-hearted mischief and playing pranks," Matilda said. Tiago shot her a shocked look.

"Was Dad referring to us having kids at some point in the future!?" he asked in disbelief. Matilda shot him a gaze in return.

"I thought he was meaning along those lines," she said.

"But Matilda," said Tiago, "It's too early for us to have kids. We've only just started dating."

"We've been dating for over a year," said Matilda. Tiago just breathed a sigh and then gazed at the stars above the group.

"Well, come to think of it, it might be a possibility," he whispered in a more loving and dreamy voice. Matilda then gazed back at the star-strewn sky, also thinking about chicks.

"But still, things could change," said Tiago. Matilda snapped her gaze to him.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well… um…" began Tiago but he was reluctant to say that Matilda might find another male macaw while he pairs up with another female for fear of angering and upsetting Matilda. Matilda, however, had other ideas. Turning her gaze back onto the stars above, her face became dreamy again.

"Well, if you think I'm going to pair up with another male and have chicks with him," she said, deducing what Tiago was trying to refer to in his silence, "You've got another thing coming."

"You mean… you want to stay with me?" asked Tiago. Matilda, in response, moved close to him and leaned her head onto his shoulder. One of her pigtails brushed against Tiago's cheek.

"Yes," she said lovingly, "If there's any male macaw I would like to have chicks in the future, it is you."

Tiago, at this, widened his beak into a small smile and leaned his head onto Matilda's crown and draped a wing over her back. Then the two macaws sat together, gazing at the stars.

"The Milky Way sure is awesome to look at," said Tiago, "It's a pity the full moon's light spoils the view."

Matilda just breathed a romantic and dreamy sigh and nuzzled against Tiago's cheek. Tiago nuzzled in return and wrapped his other wing around Matilda's body to bring her into a loving embrace. The two then continued to gaze at the Milky Way in their embrace.

 **Sheldio (Sheldon and Io)**

Somewhere in the red macaw tribe's territory, Sheldon was sitting in a pineapple tree not too far away from the red tribe's cluster of trees they called home, gazing at the stars and a lake that glistened beautifully in the moonlight like liquid silver. A small breeze rustled through the trees' leaves and also his lush red plumage, his feathers, especially the green and yellow contours on his wings, danced slightly. The scarlet/green-winged hybrid or ruby macaw felt restless and could not sleep, and had decided to spend some time out in the fresh night air. Furthermore, Sheldon had also not eaten much today, his appetite suppressed by whatever was bothering him. His mind was swimming in some sort of agitating pond but Sheldon could clearly tell that it was not worry or anxiety, for there was nothing to be worried or anxious about. Earlier, he had talked this over with his scarlet father Ramon and Ramon had explained to him that it was because he was in love. Ramon had been experiencing a similar sort of restlessness and appetite loss when he and Sheldon's green-winged macaw mother, Dani, went out a lot together before they became mates. Sheldon was rather taken aback by this and tried to deny it, but his body language spoke otherwise. It was clear that he had fallen in love with someone. Furthermore, his mind was swamped with thoughts of a specific female scarlet macaw, specifically one of Jupiter and Ruby's three daughters and Ganymede's sisters. Sheldon had struggled to get this girl off his mind and tried to occupy himself with a variety of things such as chatting with his friends, such as Byron and Estelle, preening his feathers, going on flights out into the red macaw tribe's territory and visiting Titan and his siblings Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus at the red/blue-and-gold territory border, but whenever he did, Ganymede always appeared to be by Mimas's side and it added to Sheldon's quivering feelings about the girl that was on his mind. Sheldon clearly was struggling with this cloud of anxiety-like feelings, and has done for quite a while. Maybe it was time to get to gather with the girl he could not get his mind off and confess his feelings to her.

As Sheldon breathed a dreamy sigh as his eyes, which were green in colour with some traces of yellow in the centre, gazed into the beautiful scenery, a familiar voice sounded behind him. That voice made his heart jump like an electric shock. Sheldon snapped his head around and faced the speaker. His heart then appeared to skip a beat as his green and yellow eyes landed on a female scarlet macaw who resembled a spitting image of her mother Ruby but had Jupiter's teal-turquoise coloured wing feathers and parts of her tail in place of rich blue.

"What are you doing out here, Sheldon?" Io asked, her pretty liquid amber eyes gazing at Sheldon which made his heart melt like candlewax. "It's getting as bit late, don't you think?" ( _ **The song 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol starts to play in the background)**_

Sheldon tried to reply but found his tongue stuck in his beak. He felt his legs go weak like wet mud and felt somewhat lightheaded. Io then stepped towards him. Sheldon then felt a little strength seep into him and his beak twisted into a small, sweet smile as Io looked around at the moonlight-washed night jungle.

"It's a beautiful ni…" she began but Sheldon cut her off with a "Shh". Io shot him a surprised look as Sheldon then reached out with a wing.

"Give me your wing," said Sheldon. Io extended a wing and interlocked it with his.

"Now, close your eyes," said Sheldon.

"Huh?" said Io in confusion.

"Just do it," said Sheldon gently. Io shrugged and did so. Then Sheldon guided her towards a perch overlooking the silvery lake.

"Now, don't open until I say so," said Sheldon as he held Io steadily so that she didn't stumble.

"Are you sure about this?" muttered Io, "You know I don't like walking around with my eyes closed."

"Don't worry, I've got you," said Sheldon. He then commanded Io to step onto the perch. It was a small gap narrow enough to allow a macaw to step across. Io, with Sheldon's help, extended a talon and managed to grasp the perch.

"Good," said Sheldon as he held Io with his wings around her waist, "Now hold on to me and keep your eyes closed, okay?"

"Okay," said Io with a rather wary voice.

"Now," said Sheldon, "Move your other talon to the perch."

Io did so and completed the step and grasped the perch with it. She was now fully on the perch. Sheldon then stepped up beside her, holding onto her so that she didn't fall.

"Don't peep, Io," said Sheldon with a light-hearted smile, "Or the surprise will be spoilt."

"Sorry, it's hard not to," said Io.

"You do trust me, don't you?" said Sheldon who sounded more confident now.

"Yes, of course," said Io. Then as soon as Sheldon was ready, he said with his beak close to Io's ear, "Right, now you can open your eyes."

Then as Io did so, a sharp, awed breath was drawn into her beak.

"Whooooaaaa!" she gasped at the scenery. Stretched out below the two macaws was the beautiful lake reflecting the moon. Dozens and dozens of tiny star-like specks, fireflies, danced over the silvery surface of the water. The sky overhead was awash with a mass sea of stars forming the Milky Way, the near-full moon hovering overhead, appearing to swim in it.

"What scenery!" cried Io excitedly as she and Sheldon gazed out into the beautiful night jungle. As the two continued to gaze out at the sea of stars, both over the silvery lake and in the night sky, Sheldon lovingly whispered into Io's ear, "You know, when I was a chick, I once painted a picture of something like this and I just wanted to share the real thing with the macaw I had fallen in love with, especially since she loves to stargaze."

As he said this and his wings interlocked with hers, Io turned to face him and smiled. Sheldon then felt more at ease as he said this.

"Oh, and who are you referring to?" asked Io. Sheldon gazed lovingly into her eyes in reply. At this, Io also smiled and gazed back into Sheldon's green and yellow eyes. Then the two macaws slowly moved their beaks close to each other and then connected them in a kiss. Io's wings snaked around Sheldon's head while his snaked around her shoulders and the two continued to be locked in the kiss. The stars and the moon continued to shine overhead above the two red macaws, making their feathers appear to glow like rubies.

 **Ganymas (Ganymede and Mimas)**

Somewhere else in the red tribe's territory, Ganymede and Mimas were slowly flying through the night jungle admiring the beautiful surroundings. Like the lake where Sheldon and Io were, the couple was surrounded by the dancing stars of fireflies.

"So how is bioluminescence caused?" asked Mimas as she stretched a talon to one of the fireflies, allowing the lightning bug to land gently onto her toes, before flitting away from Mimas and joining its countless friends in the dark sea of the night jungle.

"It's caused by a chemical reaction that occurs inside the fireflies' abdomens," said Ganymede, "What happens is a special enzyme, known as luciferase, interacts with special pigment called luciferin to produce light. But it is not just fireflies that are bioluminescent."

"Really?" said Mimas in wonder.

"Some fungi and mushrooms are bioluminescent," said Ganymede, "As are some marine vertebrates, especially those that live in the abyssal zones of the oceans."

"Oh, I've heard of creatures like the anglerfish and the squid," said Mimas, "It must be an eerie sight to go down there and see those strange lights."

"Bioluminescence is often used by animals as a form of light communication at night or in dark habitats like the abyssal zones in seas," said Ganymede, "And also to catch prey. The anglerfish uses its bioluminescent appendage to lure fish within its striking range while a certain genus of lightning bugs called _Photuris_ or the femme fatale fireflies, mimic the specific flashes of females of some firefly species to lure males in for the kill."

Mimas flinched in shock. "So there are some bugs that pretend to be female fireflies and then lure in males to eat?" she said.

"I've read it in one of my nature books," said Ganymede. Mimas then smiled, raised a talon to Ganymede's wing and dragged him to a nearby branch.

"You know what, I think you've had quite enough wittering about scientific facts for one day, genius," said Mimas cheekily as she held Ganymede's head with her wings such that his beak was level with hers. "You've been giving them out all day. I think it's time for change of subject."

Ganymede smiled and found himself gazing into Mimas's beige eyes. _**The song 'Given the Chance' by the Kite String Tangle plays.**_

Mimas then slowly moved her beak towards Ganymede's and gave him a kiss. Ganymede returned the kiss and wrapped his wings around Mimas's neck while her blue and yellow wings snaked around his neck. The two kissed for a while and then broke the kiss and the embrace, their eyes fixed on each other. Then the scarlet/blue-and-gold couple opened their wings and took off into the night air once again. The two admired the dancing specks of fireflies as they fluttered through the trees and then through a clearing over some small puddles at ground level. A small nocturnal mammal suddenly appeared and darted off of some bushes, slightly startling Mimas and making her draw in a short gasp but Ganymede took hold of her talon with his, telling her that it was only a small nocturnal species of primate, much to Mimas's relief. The two then fluttered on through the firefly-studded dark night. The Milky Way and near-full moon continued to hover in the sky. After sharing another romantic kiss, Ganymede and Mimas stared at each other lovingly. Another firefly flitted in between them and landed on the tip of Ganymede's beak, much to Mimas's amusement. Ganymede shot Mimas a mock-annoyed look as if to say, 'Very funny'. Then the firefly flitted off from Ganymede's beak and away. The two then moved on, lovingly nuzzling their heads together.

A gentle breeze then flew through the air, stirring the night trees and bringing the dark and beautiful branches to life. Ganymede and Mimas admired the wavering branches in the cloudless night and then suddenly launched into a romantic dance and flight through the forest. The two playfully chased each other through the wavering branches and clouds of fireflies, dancing and flirting, wheeling and swooping around each other. As Ganymede and Mimas passed by some branches, some nocturnal birds were stirred and took to the air. Ganymede and Mimas then hovered in the air and nuzzled beaks before launching into another playful chase. The two weaved in and out of some branches and vine webs, their eyes glued to each other. As the two darted through the clutter of branches and vines, startled fireflies darted out of their way. Ganymede and Mimas then stopped again and perched onto a branch in a clearing, Ganymede smiling amused as he watched the clouds of glittering fireflies dart away before turning to Mimas, his beak still widened into the grin. Mimas then raised a wing, placed it onto Ganymede's head and pulled it closer to hers before locking her beak with his in a passionate kiss. After the two broke it, Ganymede shot Mimas a surprised look but Mimas smiled back romantically. Ganymede's face then changed from a look of surprise to a look of love.

Next, the scarlet and blue-and-gold macaw pair had left the branch and had perched by some tree flowers with a cloud of fireflies dancing about like tiny stars in the night air. Ganymede and Mimas then locked each other in a loving embrace and engaged in another passionate kiss. A breeze gusted through the air and ruffled their feathers as well as the petals of the flowers and the leaves surrounding the couple. Then Ganymede and Mimas jumped off the branch and launched themselves into the air once again, chasing each other like before but in a more boisterous fashion. Nocturnal animals foraging in the dark branches gazed at the two macaws that rushed past, wheeling and swirling around each other like a pair of eagles, watching in curiosity and wondering why a pair of colourful birds that were normally out during the day were flying about at night. Ganymede and Mimas, ignoring the onlookers, then slowed down their boisterous chase and landed in another tree for a rest. Mimas leaned onto Ganymede's shoulder; her wing intertwined with his while Ganymede leaned onto her crown and draped her with his other wing. Then the couple nuzzled very lovingly against each other while gazing out into the beautiful jungle with streams of moonlight pouring down like liquid silver through the canopy, illuminating the jungle and making it appear like a mystical place decorated by the yellow coloured stars of the fireflies.

 **Romance certainly is blossoming between these couples while all is well, as it will be for the other couples in the next chapter who will be at Skyla's club. By the way, did you like the shipping names?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- a dance at Skyla's club**

Somewhere else in the beautiful night Amazon jungle, music was emanating from a very large tree situated in the blue-and-gold macaw tribe's territory. The music especially boomed through the holes in the very large trunk, along with streams of lights that shone from within the enormous trunk. This tree was Skyla's club and it was alive with club music and club goers. A couple of birds walked towards the entrance which was blocked with a slab of wood used as a door. Inside, the air vibrated with the beat of music. A band of birds played a variety of instruments made from grass strings, wood, fruit shells and a variety of other materials collected from the forest, along with a few manmade metal pieces Carla, Bia and Tiago and their friends had brought back from Rio or Manaus for the bird band that played there to add to their repertoire of instruments. The metal pieces made a clanging sound when struck. The variety of instruments the bird band had were maracas, bowstrings, trumpet-like instruments and percussive instruments like drums and cymbals. While the bird band played, dozens of birds danced on the dancefloor while some more dined in a dining area in one side of the tree. The bartender was an emerald toucanet, a friend of Skyla and Jairo, who gave a variety of fruit drinks and food to customers. They were coconut water, passionfruit juice, mango juice and a variety of other juices for drinks, and a variety of fruit, nut and plant-based foods.

The air that danced with the music was slashed with patterned yellow lights made from a large firefly lamp. Flecks of lights decorated the walls and floor of the club like how the fireflies decorated the night air outside. Skyla, the owner of the club, stood in one corner by the stage made from a wooden slab bound to the floor by strong roots, nodded her head to the music and smiled to the clubbers as they danced. In the dining area of the club, a certain group of macaws sat enjoying the music. The group consisted of a mixture of Spix, glaucous, red (scarlet and green-winged), blue-throated, blue-and-gold, great green, military, Lear's and hyacinth macaws. It were some of Carla and company's friends and among the group were Charlotte and her boyfriend Músculo. Also with the group were Mariposa, Skyla's daughter and her boyfriend Kiawe and Alessandro the chestnut-fronted macaw and his girlfriend Rhiannon. The group had been joined by a golden conure couple named Caspian and Citrine who were close friends with Mariposa and Alessandro and their respective other halves and also of Carla's group. Caspian and Citrine came from a close-knit group of golden conures that lived on the Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans' territory. The group was sipping coconut water and eating some of the snacks on offer at the bar, such as one called the 'Nutty 'N' Fruity Pyramid', which was a pyramid of fruit made from different layers of various fruits with nuts scattered over its surface and a twig with leaves placed on its tip as a finishing touch. It was a large dish and thus the group was sharing it among themselves.

Charlotte sat with her boyfriend Músculo and her cousins Jojo, Lavender and Felix with their respective other halves Kira, Garrett and Turquesa. Tyler and his girlfriend Aurora were also present. Charon, Neytiri, Blueberry and Aiden sat with the Spix macaws while Europa and Callisto, the sisters of Ganymede and Io and also of Amalthea and Oliver, sat with Byron, Athos, Estelle and Alexandre. Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan (Lear's macaws), Brooke and Titan, Dione and Porthos (blue-and-gold macaws), Miranda and Aramis (the great green macaws), Titania and Ash (the great green and military couple) and Azul and Fernanda (the blue-throated macaws) while Alessandro and Rhiannon, Caspian and Citrine, Marpiosa and Kiawe sat with Umbriel and Benjamin (the great green/scarlet couple), Enceladus and Trixie (the blue-and-gold/hyacinth couple), and Tethys and Oberon (the blue-and-gold and great green couple), separate from the others but still nearby.

"Boy, it sure is some party in here, I can tell you," shouted Charon as he sat with Neytiri and sipping coconut juice with her through hollowed sticks like straws. The music was so loud that it drowned out normal speaking volume.

"Yeah, it reminds us of Uncle Nico and Uncle Pedro's club back in Rio," shouted Europa back to Charon, she and Byron sharing a piece of mango from the Pyramid dish.

"You mean that cardinal and canary rapping duo from Rio?" shouted Byron.

"Yes," said Europa loudly, "They've come all the way here with Uncle Rafael and Aunt Eva to sing here tonight as special guests. I can't wait to see them onstage."

"If only Eva would not screech like a banshee," muttered Callisto, her wings on her ears as she imagined them shaking wat Eva's horrible singing voice with a high enough pitch to shatter glass.

"Oh, don't mention that keel-billed toucan and her AWFUL voice!" shouted Blueberry feistily, "Every time she attempts to sing, she always spoils it for everyone."

"Yeah," said some of the others. Then Alexandre remembered something about Nico and Pedro.

"Hey, guys, don't you remember that those two have girlfriends now?" he shouted for the others to hear for the music was so loud.

"Yes, I do," said Enceladus as he sat with Trixie who was taller than him because of her species. "They're called Sparkle and Rose and they're close friends who also like music. They're gonna be special guests here tonight as well."

Then Neytiri noticed a flash of red and grey through a hole to backstage as someone called Skyla over.

"Um, I think they're just about ready to take the stage now, folks," she said. At this, an idea popped into Charlotte's head and she immediately left the table.

"Charlottre, where are you going?" asked Músculo in disbelief. Charlotte flashed him a glance as she hurried off to backstage.

"It's for me to know and you to find out," she replied. And before Músculo could ask what, Charlotte was gone. The muscular Spix macaw rolled his eyes in annoyance at Charlotte's occasional cheek.

"She sure is a little cheeky sometimes," muttered he, "She's in some ways like her sister Matilda."

"I'm wondering if she might request something from that cardinal and canary since she knows them?" asked Kira.

"Possibly," said Jojo, jerking his head to one side to shift some of his large head feathers out of his face. He practically looked like a spitting image of Roberto, the only differences being his sea-green eye colour, his blue-white head which he got from Brisa and the small feather that stood straight up from his head, a feature Roberto had. However, his crest feathers were blue like the rest of his plumage and his father's. Also like Roberto, and alongside his unusually pale purple-blue sister Lavender and almost sea-green brother Felix, Jojo had an elaborate singing voice, which all three had inherited from their father, and Lavender's sounded very silvery and sparkly indeed. In fact it had been said that she had the most beautiful singing voice of any female macaw of her generation, such that it sometimes made even Carla green with envy.

While her friends in the dining area continued to watch the dancers on the dancefloor, Charlotte had entered the backstage area where some acts, among them Nico, Pedro, Rafael, Eva and Nico's girlfriend Sparkle and Pedro's girlfriend Rose were waiting. Sparkle was a yellow canary like Nico but had a pale cream tinge to her feathers. She was slender and wore a red sparkly bow in her head feathers. Rose was a slender red-crested cardinal, slimmer than the chubbier Pedro. Her red head was a little pink and she had a little ponytail at the back of her head tied by a small bobble. Like Nico and Pedro, Sparkle and Rose ran a club back in Rio but their style was a little different to the male duo's. As Charlotte stood in the doorway to backstage, Skyla talked with the Rio birds.

"So, are you six ready for your special appearance?" asked the blue-headed macaw, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the honour of hosting the famous canary and cardinal duos.

"Oh, yeah, we are, Missus Skyla," said Nico with a cheeky smile.

"Can't wait to rock 'n' roll and hip 'n' hop!" said Pedro and finished this sentence with his signature squeaky squawks. Charlotte stifled a giggle at the cardinal's sense of humour. Then Rafael, with Eva by his side, said, "And I can't wait to dance with my pretty passionfruit darling, Eva here."

And with that, he gazed back at Eva romantically. Skyla smiled but then that smile gave way to a firm look.

"Well, make sure that she doesn't screech the place down," she said, much to Charlotte's surprise. 'She knows about Aunt Eva's screechy voice?' thought the Spix macaw. "We don't want her shattering everyone else's enjoyment."

'As she would glass or even Veggie, Dash and Ginger's eardrums,' muttered Charlotte in her head. she remembered how the tabby cat and the two greyhounds back in Rio complained of Eva's awful voice which Veggie sometimes called "Screechy and out-of-tune" but she thought that Callisto's comment on Eva's voice being 'like a banshee' applied very well to the keel-billed toucan's horrid, so-called 'singing' voice. And yet, Rafael seems to find it very beautiful, like diamonds or colourful flowers.

'Diamonds or colourful flowers indeed!' thought Charlotte slightly scornfully. Rafael flinched at Skyla's comments on his mate's singing voice.

"Are you saying Eva here can't sing?" he retorted slightly angrily.

"I'm sorry, Rafael," said Skyla coolly, "But I'm not having any of my club's guests getting their ears blown by screechy attempts to sing..."

When Rafael shot the blue-headed macaw an angry look, Eva looking on slightly offended, Skyla immediately said, "As long as she dances silently, then that's fine with me. Now if you don't mind, I would like to talk to the three visiting archaeobirds over there."

And with that, she left and walked over to a trio of bizarre birds with prehensile tails and feathered legs resembling wings who had come from Andromeda's clan to perform at Skyla's club. Rafael breathed an angered huff.

"Who does that blue-headed macaw think my lovely Eva is!?" he hissed, stomping to his seat and sitting on it by Eva, "An awful singer!? My lovely Eva can sing absolutely brilliantly, possibly as good as that Spix macaw guy with the mop of head feathers and the father of Jojo and his brother Felix and sister Lavender…"

Nico and Pedro shot their toucan friend an uncertain look while Rose and Sparkle looked at each other and shrugged.

"I-I'm sure she's just being a bit too critical and melodramatic, Rafy," said Pedro, trying to ease the slight wound on Rafael's feelings. However, the soreness did not fade and Rafael just gazed at the ground, his brown eyes filled with annoyance at Skyla's comments about Eva's singing voice while Eva just said nothing. Then Sparkle's eyes travelled to the backstage entrance and saw a cerulean form with a blue-white head.

"Hey, isn't that one of your-?" she began, her eyes lit up in surprise. At this, Nico, Pedro, and Rafael and Eva, their hurt briefly forgotten, followed the female canary's gaze and spotted Charlotte.

"Why it's one of the daughters of Venus and Zephyr," said Pedro with a wide smile.

"Hey, Charlotte, what are you doin' 'ere?" asked Nico. Rafael and Eva smiled when Skyla walked in. When she saw Charlotte, she was surprised.

"What are you doing in here, Charlotte?" asked the blue-headed macaw, a frown on her face. Charlotte suddenly flinched as guilt at walking into here overtook her.

"Um, sorry to walk in here without your permission but I have a request for Nico and Pedro," she said. Skyla's frown then gave way to wonder as Nico and Pedro came forward.

"Really, my guu-u-url?" asked Nico cheekily.

"What request would you like us to grant?" asked Pedro, his beak widened into a massive smile. Charlotte then launched into an explanation of the request.

Meanwhile, back in the dining area, Jojo was curious about Charlotte.

"What's taking her so long?" he asked the others.

"Maybe it's not appropriate for her to go to the backstage room without Skyla's permission," said Lavender.

"It is really for the acts after all," said Felix.

"But Charlotte told us that she knows the canary and cardinal from Rio," said Estelle, Alexandre sipping from a coconut shell, "Maybe this is a special occasion?"

"Possibly," said Callisto.

"Uncles Nico and Pedro are part of our extended family after all," said Europa.

"Extended family?" asked Caspian, one of the golden conures on surprise. Estelle and Byron turned to him.

"Those two seemed to have helped their parents before they were born," said Byron, "Based on what Carla, Bia and Tiago told us, anyway."

"And because they are family friends, they are like our uncles though they are not macaws," said Estelle.

"Oh," said Citrine in wonder, "So they're like… close friends of Blu and Jewel and the others?"

"Yes," said Dione from across the table who sat with Porthos. Athos, Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan then exchanged glances.

"We didn't have very many friends outside our group when we lived in Guyana before that Tulio guy arrived to pick up Squaw'tagnan," said Athos.

"You didn't?" asked Caspian in surprise.

"No," said Porthos. The muscular blue-and-gold macaw's face then morphed into a frown. "However we were a frequent target for mockery and the antics of a group of pigeons that frequently came by our house while we lived there."

"Yes," growled Aramis bitterly, "Those flying rats always made a mess of our garden, threw trash at us, called us names, pushed us around, we're just glad to be away from those moronic troublemakers for good."

"One of those pigeons once messed on my head and back on purpose for spiteful laughs," said Squaw'tagnan. "It happened while we were perched in a tree admiring the cityscape. Luckily, the mess was easily washed out but it didn't half make Athos, Porthos and Aramis absolutely furious."

"What do you mean make a mess of your head, Squaw'tagnan?" asked Mariposa confused.

"He means that pigeon dirtied him with its droppings," said Athos in disgust. At this, the other macaws flinched in revulsion. Benjamin, who sat with Umbriel, spat some coconut water from his beak in a spray while drinking it from a coconut shell only to react in shock at the comment. Luckily, he did not aim the spray at anyone else while Neytiri almost choked on a nut, coughing as it almost went down her windpipe, much to Charon, Blueberry and Aiden's slight alarm but they were relieved when Neytiri managed to gain control of her coughing and send the nut down the right way. Athos's eyes blinked with guilt. Maybe he shouldn't have explained what Squaw'tagnan meant while Mariposa also looked guilty about asking the question in the first place.

"That's… _awful!"_ growled Kiawe.

"Repulsive!" snapped Alessandro, his face twisted in revulsion.

"Revolting," added Rhiannon. Some of the macaws, however, were unsurprised though they were utterly stunned at the story.

"Pigeons are known for their disgusting habits like that," said Titan in a low voice, "Cometa and her family had been enraged by some of them when they messed all over their nest one day when she and Lightning had taken Orion and Velocity out on a flight into the city."

"I absolutely LOATHE pigeons with a _burning_ passion," growled Umbriel. She flashed a glance at Benjamin and checked his wellbeing as he cleaned up the mess of coconut water he had spat onto the floor with some moss.

"So do I. They're REVOLTING creatures, I think," said Phoebe. She then flashed a pitiful look at Squaw'tagnan who just shrugged. Then Kira changed the subject.

"Anyway, you guys looking forward to the soccer league in the Pit of Games?" she asked, "I certainly am," she glanced at Jojo and smiled. "I can't wait to see Jojo and Felix in action alongside Charlotte and Roberto. I've been told they've joined the Spix macaw team."

"I'm also part of the team," said Garrett proudly. He then nodded to Aurora and Tyler and added, "So are those two."

"So, who are we up against first?" asked Aurora.

"It's my tribe's team against the Spix macaws," replied Phoebe, "Jasmine has joined the Pit of Games team as well."

"It's gonna be good," said Callisto gleefully, her wings rubbing together, "Mind you I can't wait to go against the Spix macaws. However, our first opponents are going to be the glaucous macaws."

"Neither can I," said Byron. Benjamin smiled in agreement. He and Byron were also part of the red tribe's team and had only joined last year. Neytiri, Blueberry, Charon and Aiden, especially the last one, all smiled. Aiden was part of the team of the glaucous macaw tribe and also looked forward to playing against the red macaws.

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun," said Aiden, "Especially when we reach the finals."

"We're also gonna participate in the games too," said Kiawe, "I'm quite a good goalie for the chestnut-fronted macaws team."

Mariposa smiled and leaned onto his shoulder.

"And I'm quite a good player for the chestnut-fronted macaws," said Rhiannon.

"I also love soccer," said Citrine. Caspian just smiled.

"Yeah," said Azul as he and Fernanda breathed a sigh together, "Everyone is looking forward to it we can see."

The others nodded in agreement. Just then a flutter of wings reached their ears. At this, Músculo, Jojo, Kira, Felix, Garrett, Lavender and Turquesa and the others looked up at Charlotte whose face was shining with excitement.

"What took you so long back there?" asked Kira.

"Oh, just been catching up with a few things but I've made a request to Uncles Nico and Pedro," said Charlotte.

"What request?" asked Jojo.

"Ah, you'll see," said Charlotte and with that, she sat down beside Músculo who looked on in wonder. The others only exchanged glances when suddenly, the music played by the bird band ended and everyone erupted into applause as a small leafy green macaw with a turquoise blue head emerged onto the stage platform.

"Looks like the acts are about to begin," said Miranda as she sat with Aramis.

"I wonder who's going to perform first," said Caspian as the applause died down. Then Skyla raised her wings and began to speak.

"Thank you, everyone," she said, "I hope you all have had a good time dancing and I thank the bird band in the corner for providing us with the music but now, it's time to move on to tonight's acts…"

"Here we go," whispered Kira. Skyla then smiled. "Our first act will be a samba duo from the human city of Rio de Janeiro…"

At this, a toco toucan and his keel-billed toucan mate emerged through the backstage entrance and ran over to the dancefloor to prepare to dance while a female red-crested cardinal and her canary friend joined the bird band.

"…They are friends of a certain group of macaws including the former Spix macaw tribe leader's daughter and the current matriarch of the Spix macaws and her mate," continued Skyla. At this, excitement mounted inside Charlotte and her group as Skyla continued, "May I present you… Nico and Pedro the Samba duo!"

And with that, she walked off to one side and gestured to the a pair of small birds, one a canary and the other a cardinal as they emerged through a curtain of decorative vines and flowers and onto the stage. The audience erupted into a storm of cheers and claps as Nico and Pedro took to the stage. As Nico and Pedro greeted the audience, Charlotte prepared to take to the dancefloor.

"You guys ready?" she asked.

"Ready?" asked Aiden in confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Neytiri. The answer came when Nico said, "But first, I'd like to dedicate a special song to the oldest daughter of a pair if Spix macaws I know from Rio known as Zephyr and Venus and her friends at her request, especially her boyfriend…"

At this, a spotlight slashed through the dark air and landed on Charlotte and Músculo. The latter flinched with surprise and shyness but then Charlotte gently nudged him onto the dancefloor. The others followed. Once the group were in their positions, Charlotte and Músculo in the centre, Pedro called, "Right, let's get dancin'."

He flew over onto a pillar of wood and called out, "Alright, everyone put your wings together, and clap 'em, flap 'em, I don't care, slap 'em… let's just start dancing, okay?" and with a couple of caws, Pedro took to the air. Excited whoops and cries emerged from the audience, and some of Charlotte's group smiled. However, Músculo as he stood next to the smiling Charlotte looked on confused.

"Party in Ipanema, baby," said Nico and with that the club air started shaking with the sounds of percussive instruments being hit as the bird band, and Sparkle and Rose, started the first beats to 'Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)'. As Nico and Pedro sang the first lyrics of the song, all but a smiling and excited Charlotte and a puzzled Músculo looked around. Around the said couple, the other couples danced. Jojo danced with Kira while Lavender, Tyler and Felix danced with Garrett, Aurora and Turquesa respectively. Alexandre danced with Estelle, Europa danced with Byron and Callisto danced with Athos. Also, Phoebe danced with Squaw'tagnan, Dione and Porthos danced together as did Titan and Brooke, Miranda and Ash, Titania and Ash, Blueberry and Aiden, Charon and Neytiri, and Alessandro with Rhiannon, Caspian with Citrine, Azul with Fernanda and Mariposa with Kiawe. To Músculo and Charlotte's right, the mixed couples also danced. Umbriel and Benjamin danced together, as did Enceladus and Trixie and Tethys and Oberon.

"This is the song Mom and Dad danced to on their first dance in Rio," called Charlotte to Músculo, "That's why I requested it."

"Really?" said Músculo. Suddenly, Oberon and Tethys danced by.

"It's called 'Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)," explained Oberon as he continued dancing to the song, "Uncle Blu and Aunt Jewel also danced to it on their first dance."

"And it looks like most of the clubbers here love it," said Tethys. At this, Charlotte and Músculo glanced around and saw that Tethys was right. Dozens of birds were either clapping to the beat or dancing together. Many of Charlotte's group also seemed to love it. Neytiri was dancing away with impressive and elegant moves alongside Charon while Aramis danced energetically. Because of his agility, Miranda sometimes struggled to keep up. The others also danced in a variety of their own styles. Then Charlotte began to be made alert to the beat. She felt her feet move and the next thing she knew, she had launched into a rhythmic step dance. Músculo looked on nervously as Charlotte then began to spin and swing her wings around like a feathered cape. Her dancing style was remarkably similar to her aunt Brisa's and also Jewel's and she practically glowed under the spotlight, her cerulean feathers shining like the polished surface of a crystal. Músculo then smiled and began to dance alongside Charlotte. The pair danced in a circle and then entered a sort of Latin style dance. Soon, the song had reached the 'Hey' chanting part and the birds continued dancing. Skyla also danced to the song as Nico and Pedro flew around together and danced with their performers. Músculo then took hold of Charlotte's waist and began to around with her several times. After this, he heaved Charlotte into the air and she began hovering. Then like her father Zephyr during his and Venus's first dance and also Jewel during her and Blu's first dance, Charlotte began to beautifully chant 'La-ya' over and over again while hovering. Músculo was mesmerised by the sight of his girlfriend as she continued chanting and hovering. Her cerulean feathers continued to glow beautifully in the light and her voice was crystalline, though not nearly as crystalline as Lavender's. Like how Venus did with Zephyr and Blu did with Jewel, he stood there, staring in awe, hypnotised by Charlotte's elegance.

Then Charlotte touched down from her hover and gazed into Músculo's pale blue eyes with her chartreuse pair. The muscularly built Spix macaw gazed back at the pair of green-yellow crystals, lost in the depths. Then as though they were magnetized with opposite signs, Charlotte and Músculo's heads began to slowly move towards each other, their beaks getting closer and closer. The gap between them grew shorter and shorter but before the couple's beaks could make contact, the most AWFUL sound shattered the disco air like glass, penetrating the transfixed cloud locking Músculo and Charlotte to each other and making them jump and cover their ears. The other macaws and birds including Nico and Pedro and the band players also jumped and covered their ears. Their faces were twisted from the painful screeches.

"WHAT… IN THE… WORLD!?" bellowed Aiden, his eyes tight shut and ears clasped under his wings. Blueberry also held her ears tightly, her faced screwed in agony.

"DON'T TELL ME…" shouted Callisto as she and Athos also held their ears with twisted faces. Then suddenly, Skyla's voice barked loudly through the screechy 'singing' of a certain toucan.

"RAFAEL, WILL YOU SHUT THAT MATE OF YOURS UP THIS MINUTE!?"

None of Charlotte's group needed to open their eyes and glance at Skyla for they heard who she was shouting to already. Then suddenly, the screechy voice of Eva's horrible not-at-all singing was cut off. The dancers and band players all slowly removed their wings from their ringing ears and opened their eyes.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" came Rafael's voice. Charlotte's group traced the voice to its owner who was very angry. Then Rhiannon pointed and shouted, "Guys, look!"

At this, the others followed the female chestnut-fronted macaw's pointing gesture and their eyes found Eva, whose large, lime green and magenta beak was tied up with a string of coconut fibres, much to her astonishment. Rafael was protesting with the three archaeobird guests who had leaped in to shut Eva's screechy voice up.

"I'm sorry, Big Nose but we're not gonna have her screeching the club down," said one of the archaeobirds, a male metallic red one with metallic yellow markings who was the leader of the trio. The other two were also male. One was metallic blue like Andromeda, Ophiuchus and Anakin but he was not related to them and the other was dark metallic green and silver. These two also wore agreeing faces.

"Yes, absolutely," said the green and silver male, "Especially if it's gonna spoil the clubbers' enjoyment."

At this, Eva, her beak bound tightly shut by the coconut fibres, stormed out in a huff towards the entrance to backstage. Rafael shot the three archaeobirds and Skyla an enraged look and chased after his mate. Porthos who stood with Dione crossed his wings, a scowl on his face.

"Well, I think that's enough of that little interruption," he muttered, "I don't think any of the other couples were impressed at having their moments shattered like wineglasses at that green beaked toucan's horrid singing."

"I wouldn't call that singing, Porthos," said Ash as he stood with Titania, "In fact it isn't even singing at all."

"You know something," said Kiawe as he stood with Mariposa, "I think those two toucans shouldn't have come here in the first place, especially if that female keel-billed toucan has the problem of singing horribly out of tune like that."

"I couldn't agree more," said Rhiannon. "Good job one of those archaoebirds took action."

"I think she ought to get singing lessons before returning here," said Caspian. He rubbed his ears as they were still ringing from Eva's screeching while Citrine looked on and said nothing. Soon the song had come to an end and everyone, despite the interruption from Eva's screechy voice, applauded Nico and Pedro and thanked them for such a wonderful song. Then Nico and Pedro moved on to sing one of their next songs. Charlotte's group then decided to split up.

"Well, we're gonna sit down and take a break," said Titan as he stood with Brooke, "It has been an amazing opportunity to dance to the same song Mom and Dad danced to before they had us."

"Yep," said Brooke, "It had been awesome."

"We should thank Charlotte for that," said Benjamin as he stood with Umbriel. Then the other macaws turned to face Charlotte but realised that she wasn't there. Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Tyler and their respective other halves Kira, Turquesa, Garrett and Aurora began to shoot glances around the club.

"Charlotte?" asked Jojo.

"Where could she have gone now?" asked Lavender.

"Músculo's nowhere to be seen either," said Aurora.

"Oh, hold on," said Tethys, pointing to the entrance to the club, "They're going outside."

At this, the other macaws followed her pointed wing feather and saw a blue tail belonging to Músculo disappear out the door. The other macaws followed through the doorway and stopped in a gathering. Sure enough, they saw the two forms of Charlotte and Músculo as they stepped out into the sparkling wonderland of the night decorated by fireflies and the Milky Way star sea and the full moon in the cloudless sky above.

"Looks like those two have decided to have a moment to themselves after that interruptive ordeal from Eva," said Europa to the others.

"I wouldn't be surprised," said Oberon as he stood with Tethys who leaned onto his shoulder, "They probably were in a romantic moment until Eva's voice shattered it."

Caspian and Citrine then caught sighted a couple of forms out the corners of their eyes. At this, the golden conure pair turned and saw a pair of toucans fly up onto a branch of a nearby tree where they began to talk.

"I hope that mate of Rafael's isn't gonna shatter the air with that horrible singing of hers again," muttered Caspian.

"She nearly blew our eardrums out once already," muttered Citrine. The others nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Músculo had fluttered up from the ground and perched onto a low branch of a shrub growing in front of Skyla's club's entrance. The couple then gazed out into the night jungle decorated with the dancing stars of fireflies.

"Boy, it sure is a beautiful night," cooed Charlotte, her head leaning onto Músculo's shoulder while his head leaned onto her crown. "I wish it could last for ever but sadly, I guess all good things must come to an end."

"There probably won't be another night like this one, I can tell you, Charlotte," crooned Músculo, his wing interlocking with hers. Charlotte breathed a disappointed sigh. She then turned and found herself gazing into Músculo's pale blue eyes gleaming like aquamarine stones while he gazed into her chartreuse eyes and at her blue-white and cerulean feathers.

"And you look so beautiful tonight as well," whispered Músculo lovingly. Charlotte's beak widened into a small but loving smile. Then before the two knew it, the pair found themselves leaning towards each other, their beaks approaching one another, poised to deliver a kiss. However, before their beaks could connect, like what happened inside the club during the group's dance to 'Hot Wings (I wanna Party)', a HORRIBLE screechy voice tore the quiet night air apart, as Eva tried to sing in the tree in the distance at Rafael's request (Rafael thinks that Eva's voice was as beautiful as a siren's). This made the Spix macaw couple flinch harshly and cover their ears. The rest of the group looking on also clasped their wings over their ears as well. Then Charlotte shot Rafael and Eva an enraged and irritated glare as Eva continued to scour the atmosphere with her out-of-tune voice like a knife across a sheet of glass. It was obvious that Rafael had managed to remove the coconut fibre string binding Eva's beak shut on their way out.

"Oh, NO, NO, NOOOOOO!" screeched Charlotte furiously, her wings over her ears, "WHAT'S IT WITH EVA AND HER HORRIBLE VOICE!?"

Músculo also seethed and continued holding his ears. However, seconds later, Eva's voice ceased as she stopped attempting to sing. Charlotte and Músculo then glared at Rafael and Eva in the distant tree as they then shared a very passionate kiss.

"Charming(!)" muttered the Brisa lookalike sarcastically, "First Rafael has his mate shatter the moment of other couples and then they share a passionate kiss. What utter _selfishness."_

"More like inconsideration," muttered Músculo with a frown, "No wonder Skyla yelled at them."

He then forgot about the two toucans and gazed back into Charlotte's Chartreuse eyes. "But I'm not gonna let those two toucans' lack of consideration interrupt _our_ moment, anyway."

Then before Charlotte could speak, the burly Spix macaw wrapped his wings around her neck and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Charlotte's wings snaked around Músculo's neck as she returned it. The rest of the group looked on.

"Wow, they've managed to return to their moment despite Eva's interruptive screechy voice," said Jojo in shock.

"We could never do that," said Kira. Then Lavender and Felix folded their wings and smiled while Garrett and Turquesa looked on. Then Turquesa looked into the night sky.

"Well," said she, "I suppose it's time to head back to our homes. It's getting late."

"Guess so," said Athos in disappointment.

"We don't want to stay up too late," said Europa. She then stifled a yawn threatening to escape her beak.

"Let's just go back inside and say goodnight to Uncle Nico and Uncle Pedro and their girlfriends and say thanks to them for singing 'Hot Wings' before we leave," murmured Titan tiredly and with that, he entered through the club's doorway with Brooke following. The others followed a few at a time until Jojo and Kira were left.

"Well, sweetie," said Jojo to the cousin of Carla, Bia and Tiago, "I suppose this is the end of our night out."

"There will be other opportunities in time, Jojo, so don't worry," said Kira with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- the Amazon Soccer League begins, apparently insignificant flying fox activity detected**

 **A few days later**

Life continued to flow by in the Sanctuary de Amazon at its usual pace. The sun continued to shine on the jungle, animals went about their daily business in hunting for food or raising their young, and the animal hospital continued its usual duties. However, a big event was beginning today. Today was the first day of the games in the Pit of Games, the soccer match between the Spix and the Lear's macaws. Since all the bird flocks had made peace with each other, the Pit of Games, then known as the Pit of Doom, had been used for serious soccer games to resolve conflicts. The last serious game had been between the green and the Lear's macaw tribes before they had made peace. Now, that role had fallen into disuse and the games had become fun and on good terms. In the Spix macaws' ravine, a flock of blue macaws were waking up to a wonderful day. Roberto stepped out of his hollow and stretched his wings while Brisa sought to Chilro and Ophelia. Nearby, Venus, Zephyr, Azurite and Aquamarine were also preparing for the game and were having breakfast. Zephyr was a part of the team as were Charlotte, Roberto, Jojo and Felix, the two older sons of Roberto and Brisa.

While these two families prepared for the big day and had breakfast, Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, and Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Garrett, Músculo, Turquesa andKira, all flew over to Blu and Jewel's tree.

"Today's the day, folks," said Carla excitedly, "It is time for our game with our first opponents, the Lear's macaws. I can _feel_ it."

The others cheered.

"We've been practicing for quite a lot up until now," said Charlotte, "And I hope my soccer skills are as good as new."

"This will be your first time out in the stadium, wouldn't it?" asked Kira.

"Yes, as it will be for Felix and Jojo," said Charlotte, "And Tyler, Aurora and Garrett."

The three said macaws all smiled but then Lavender sighed.

"I'm hopeless at soccer," she muttered, "I can't even dribble the ball, much less shoot it into the goal elegantly."

"But it sure is gonna be fun watching your two brothers play with your father," said Tiago excitedly. Ricardo, the brother of Tyler, also nodded in agreement.

"And I also can't wait to see Jasmine, the sister of Phoebe and Annette out there too," he said, "I think she's also a newcomer as well, isn't she?"

"She will be," said Matilda. The group then touched down before Blu and Jewel's tree and began to wait for the new tribe leaders to emerge. Moments later, the couple did so. Jewel carried Luke and Linda in her wings while Blu finished the last of his breakfast which was a mango. When the two saw Carla and the others with them stand outside the tree hollow, he said, "Oh, hello, Carla, Bia and Tiago, folks. Ready for the game ahead?"

"We sure are, Dad," said Carla excitedly.

"Can't wait to see Jojo, Felix, Charlotte, Aurora, Garrett and Tyler in action," said Kira much to the six said macaws' amusement. She then nuzzled briefly against Jojo's shoulder much to his smile.

"Well, you lot head off and get prepared for the game while we gather the team," said Jewel. And with that, all but Jojo, Felix, Charlotte, Aurora, Garrett and Tyler all took off. Then Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus and their new chicks arrived.

"Manana ('morning' in Spanish), Ju-Ju," cried Roberto. At this, Blu shot him a slight glare. Though the two were friends now, Blu still found Roberto's calling of Jewel 'Ju-Ju' somewhat annoying but Zephyr had explained to him that it had always been Roberto's childhood nickname for her since they were young. Brushing off the annoyance, Blu called out, "Oh, yes, morning Roberto, Zephyr, Venus, Brisa."

"You looking forward to the game?" asked Brisa with excitement.

"Yes we are," said Jewel.

"So are we," said a deep voice. At this, the group turned round and saw Eduardo and Mimi touch down, smiles adorning their faces.

"It's gonna be great," said Eduardo, "We have never played against the Lear's macaws before."

His eyes then travelled to Jojo, Felix, Charlotte, Aurora, Garrett and Tyler, the six newcomers on the team. "And I look forward to seeing you guys in action out there as well," he said. Roberto came up to Felix and Jojo and put his wings around them.

"They take after me in more ways than one," he said proudly, "Not just in my appearance or my singing voice."

Jojo and Felix smiled as their father said this.

"So does Lavender to a degree," said Brisa. Venus, who held Azurite and Aquamarine then nodded to Charlotte and said, "And so does she with Zephyr. She may look a lot like her aunt Brisa in appearance but she has some things in common with her dad."

Charlotte just tittered shyly and blushed somewhat. Then Jewel turned to Blu and said, "Right, Blu, would you like to…"

But before she could finish, a shout exploded from the entrance of the ravine, cutting Jewel's command off and making the Spix macaws flinch and shoot a surprised gaze at the source of the shout. To their further surprise, three aqua blue and yellow forms with green spots on their foreheads came rocketing through the ravine air. Spix macaws exchanged puzzled glances, wondering why three of Soleado's tribe members had come to their ravine and why they looked alarmed. Then the speaker, the blue-and-gold macaw at the front named Saturn, a friend of Zephyr, Venus, Blu and their families, stopped into a hover with his two comrades to ask one of the Spix macaws and his family.

"Excuse me, have you seen Blu and Jewel anywhere?" he asked, "We have an urgent message for them."

The Spix macaw and his family, at this, shot each other a puzzled look and extended a talon to Blu and Jewel's location. Without a second's hesitation, Saturn and his companions shot off in the direction. As the three blue-and-gold macaws almost landed clumsily before Blu and the others, Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix and Charlotte came over to them to help them regain their footing. The three macaws then began to puff and pant for they had flown so fast to the Spix tribe's ravine.

"Saturn," said Jewel with a slightly annoyed frown, "What are you and your two friends doing here?"

"Don't you realise that we've got a game coming up?" asked Blu. Saturn could not answer for he was too short of breath to speak. Finally, he managed to get some words out as soon as his breathing rate slowed.

"Sorry to interrupt your preparations, Blu and Jewel," he said apologetically, "But we have an important message."

The Spix macaws shot each other concerned looks and gazed back at Saturn.

"What message?" asked Mimi snappily.

"I hope it's not about some serious threat," growled Eduardo. Then one of Saturn's companions, a female blue-and-gold macaw, stepped forward as soon as she had got her breath back too.

"One of our patrol groups has reported suspicious flying fox activity very close to our tribe's territory border," she said, "They had observed a group of four bats hovering near the feather-marked trees. However, when the patrol group flew over to investigate those bats closer to see what they were doing so close to the boundary, those bats had retreated into their colony's territory, and the patrol group had reported to Soleado and Zoie what they had seen. Soleado has now sent out messengers to alert the other bird clan, tribe and group leaders of the news as well as some more patrol groups to the area where those bats had been seen to examine it further…"

This aroused worry in the Spix macaws and they exchanged glances. Venus, Roberto and Eduardo also felt their skins crawl and weakness in their legs for they had encountered those notorious flying mammals before. Roberto had lost his entire family to a group of them when he was a chick while Venus and Eduardo had almost been killed during their encounter with them. The others also looked on worried. However, Eduardo and Jewel soon brushed off the shivers.

"We'll send a Spix patrol group to your tribe's border right away," said Jewel, "But in the meantime, we've a game to prepare. Thanks for the report."

"I'll see to setting up the patrol to send over to Soleado's territory," said Blu.

Eduardo smiled at his only daughter and her mate. "That's my girl and my son-in-law," he said proudly under his breath. He was impressed at how well the two were adapting to the role as tribe leaders. Saturn and his two companions nodded and took off for the ravine's entrance. After the three blue-and-gold macaws had gone, Blu opened his wings and took off but before leaving, he said to Zephyr and Venus, "Could you look after Linda and Luke while I set up a patrol group of up to five Spix macaws to send to Soleado's tribe please?"

Zephyr and Venus nodded and began to keep an eye on Blu and Jewel's two youngest kids while Blu flew away to call for Maximillian and some other patrollers while Jewel sought to gather the team members, and the other Spix macaws continued to prepare for the game. While all this was happening, Aurora looked around in worry. She had a fear of those hideous bats and like Roberto had lost her parents to a group of them when she was a young chick. However, unlike Roberto, Aurora had not been there when it happened and her older sister, then an adolescent, had brought her up by herself.

"I don't like the sound of the news Saturn and his two companions had brought to us about the flying foxes," Aurora murmured timidly, "I hope it's nothing serious."

"Look, my sweetheart," said Tyler, "Let's just focus on getting ready for the game and forget the flying fox activity. Soleado already has it covered and will be checking that spot where some bats have been spotted constantly while we play our game against our Lear's friends."

Aurora breathed a sigh and turned to face Jewel just as some other members of the team appeared.

 **The Lear's tribe's ravine**

Waldo and his mate Monique paced back and forth before the Lear's macaw team. Monique held her and Waldo's chick, a son named Danilo, in her wings. Danilo was the half-cousin of Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and their younger brother Ozzy since Waldo was Sapphire's half-brother. Much like Blu and Jewel had done with the Spix macaw tribe, Waldo and Monique had taken over the role as leadership of the Lear's macaw tribe as elected by Valentino and Rosalind since Waldo was the eldest blood relative to his first-cousin, once-removed Rosalind. Given the choice, Waldo would have delegated the role to Sapphire and Mercury but Mercury had told him that he wasn't leadership material, so Waldo and Monique had taken it. Valentino and Rosalind, who had retired, stood looking on with smiles on their beaks as Waldo paced back and forth before the team, which he still captained. Monique was still the score-marker of the Lear's team and looked forward to seeing Roxie in the Pit of Games score-marker's hole. Behind the Lear's team, dozens and dozens and dozens of navy blue birds with teal-tinted faces and chests were flying away to the Pit of Games. Sapphire had bid Mercury goodbye and good luck before leaving with Ozzy, Phoebe and Annette and Squaw'tagnan. Only Jasmine remained for she had joined the team.

"Right, everyone," said Waldo with a wide smile, "Listen up."

All ears cocked to their team captain.

"Today is our first match, and our first opponents are the Spix macaws," continued Waldo as he continued pacing back and forth. "As you guys will know, they have some pretty good and sneaky players on their team, among them Roberto, their captain, and Charlotte, the daughter of Mercury and Sapphire's friends Zephyr and Venus and one of their newest additions to the team."

Jasmine and Mercury smiled at the mentioning of those macaws.

"So we will need excellent coordination, teamwork and planning," said Waldo, "Especially as we deal with the toughest of our opponents. And Alejandro, you are gonna need to muster up all your best skills as our goalie…"

Alejandro, a male Lear's macaw and one of Sapphire's childhood friends, was the goalie of the team. He smiled at Waldo's statement and nodded in understanding. He looked forward to some rigorous action.

"The Spix macaws may have some excellent players," continued Waldo, "But so do we. So let's hope we can outsmart our opponents and score the highest number of goals during our game. You guys get it?"

The others shouted "Yeah!" and cheered. Waldo then clapped his wings together and smiled.

"Right, then let's head off for the Pit of Games!" he bellowed joyously and excitedly. Then with another cheer, the air around the entire Lear's macaw team became flooded with wing flaps as the group took to the air. As the group headed for the ravine entrance, Jasmine began to talk with her father Mercury. She looked very nervous.

"This is not going to be an easy game, you know, Dad," she said.

"What makes you say that, daughter?" asked Mercury.

"Roberto," replied Jasmine. Mercury immediately understood what she meant when she said the Spix team captain's name. Roberto was an excellent team player and had amazing soccer skills and agility, and often he was difficult to outmanoeuvre and take the ball from. Then Mercury just smiled and said, "Look, Jas, just do your best. It's only a game after all. It's not like the serious 'war' games that we used to have with the green macaws before we made peace with them. That's all in the past now."

Jasmine smiled at this assurance and continued flying on. Then Alejandro's voice said, "Hey, where are Monique, Waldo, their son Danilo and Valentino and Rosalind gone?"

At this, the rest of the team stopped into a hover and looked back. The Lear's macaws saw the five macaws said macaws still on the cliff top but they weren't the only ones. Standing before them were two aqua blue and yellow birds with green foreheads. Mercury squinted at the two unexpected guests and drew in a surprised gasp.

"It's two of Soleado's tribe members," he said.

"What are they doing here?" asked a female Lear's macaw named Daysi. Then Mercury decided to return to the spot where the team had gathered to investigate.

"Stay here, you lot," he said as he flew off. Jasmine, Alejandro, Daysi and the others exchanged glances as Mercury receded into the distance as he flew off towards Waldo, Monique, Danilo, Valentino and Rosalind. As he approached the five macaws, he heard Waldo shout to the two blue-and-gold macaws, "You can't be serious, Ignacio! What do you mean one of your patrols have witnessed suspicious flying fox activity right close to your tribe's border?"

"You know those flying foxes are fully aware of the marked borders of your tribe, Alonso's and Demetrio and Reynaldo's clans' territories, don't you," said Valentino, "Especially with those feathers hanging from those trees along the boundary. They are brightly coloured and shouldn't be easily missed."

"Maybe those four bats have accidentally wandered too close to your border?" asked Monique.

Mercury widened his eyes surprise when he heard this and hoped that Monique's statement was true. However, quite the opposite was confirmed instead when Ignacio and his companion shook their heads.

"According to our patrol group that had seen those bats," said Ignacio, "They have been hovering close to the marked trees, implying that they have approached our border deliberately. There's no way they could have strayed near our border by accident."

Monique then shot Waldo and Valentino a worried look.

"We'd better send a patrol group over to Soleado's tribe's border where those bats have been spotted so that they could help the blue-and-gold macaws to keep an eye on it, Waldo," she said. Waldo, however, adamantly raised a wing to his mate. Then he retracted it and eyed Ignacio and his friend.

"Look, thanks for the report, Ignacio but we have an impending game against the Spix macaws this morning," he said, "We don't have time for petty worries like this, especially me and Monique for we are part of our team…"

"Look, you return to Soleado and Anita and tell them that you have let us know about the bats but that we're too busy with the game with the Spix macaws," said Valentino, "But as soon as we have finished our game with the Spix macaws, we will come over to your leaders to further ask about the problem, okay?"

Ignacio and his companion nodded, turned round and opened their wings.

"I wish you good luck in your game against the Spix macaws," said Ignacio as he made the take-off flap and lofted himself into the air, "And we'll see you after the game has finished."

"We're sorry to barge in on you like that," said his companion.

"No problem, you had to let us know," said Rosalind but soon, the two blue-and-gold macaws were out of earshot. Then the four adult macaws spread their wings and took off after the other Lear's macaw players, Monique handing Danilo, who was too young to fly as fast as the adults, to Rosalind to take care of while she was in the game. Mercury flew alongside them.

"That was completely unexpected, Waldo," he said, "But this sure isn't the time for worries like this before an important event such as a match…"

"Well, I hope those bats aren't up to anything suspicious, Mercury," said Waldo firmly, "We'll look into it further after the game, okay?"

Valentino then breathed a worried sigh and gazed into the distance in the flying fox colony's direction as though he was expecting some flying foxes to jump out at the group any moment.

"Strangely enough," he murmured, "I do have a very bad feeling about this. If what Ignacio and his companion had reported isn't just a mere one-off, then I would like the blue-and-gold macaws to keep us constantly informed about those bats and their activities and make sure that they aren't planning on anything."

And with that, he followed the other Lear's macaws and headed off for the Pit of Games.

 **The Pit of Games**

The air above the Pit of Games was alive with the sounds of squawky cheering. Half of the stands were cerulean and blue while the other half was navy blue. The Spix and Lear's macaws had seated themselves on the ridges of the crater walls and they were all cheering for their teams. Jewel and Blu sat with Carla, Bia, Tiago, Luke and Linda, Eduardo and Mimi at the front of their tribe and waved to Valentino, Rosalind and Waldo and Monique's son Danilo sat at the front of the Lear's macaw tribe who waved in return. By the tribe leaders' spot, a row of substitutes sat, ready for action. Whenever a game occurred, each team had substitutes in the event of a foul and the responsible or injured player was out as a result. In a certain part of the Pit, a tapir and a porcupine took their stand. The former was the narrator and the latter was the commentator.

"Morning, everyone, welcome to the Pit of Doom I-I mean… the Pit of Games," cried the tapir narrator. The narrator's voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the Pit.

"Yes, it is the first of the Amazon Soccer League," shouted the porcupine commentator, "The Spix macaws vs. the Lear's macaws," his eyes then travelled down to the scoremarkers' hole and found Roxie and Monique, a pile of large fruit and Brazil nuts lay at the feet of the two scoremarkers. "The game will be set on a best of seven. The team to score the highest goals will win the first game!"

In the hole, Roxie and Monique looked at each other, smiling.

"You ready, Roxie?" asked Monique.

"Sure am," said Monique, "I've been looking forward to this all week."

The other Lear's and Spix macaws all continued to cheer. They had become so engrossed in the beginning game that the worry about the flying fox sighting by the blue-and-gold macaws was soon forgotten. In the Spix macaw crowd near Blu and Jewel's family, Brisa, Venus, Nuvem and Cassia, together with Viento, Gael, Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Azurite and Aquamarine, Chilro and Ophelia, Ricardo, Lavender and Músculo, Turquesa (who was by herself for Maximillian, her dad had gone to the blue-and-gold macaw tribe's territory) and Kira sat, their eyes scanning the Lear's macaws and also the stadium.

"Look, there are Sapphire, Phoebe, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Ozzy," shouted Justin, pointing to five specific Lear's macaws. At this, the others' eyes followed his point and landed on the five said macaws sitting near Valentino, Danilo and Rosalind. Matilda then tried to make herself more visible to the four macaws by shouting and jumping up and down.

"Hey, PHOEBE, ANNETTE, AUNT SAPPHIRE!" she bellowed as loud as she could, "SQUAW'TAGNAN! WE'RE HERE! CAN YOU SEE US?"

However Sapphire, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Phoebe did not notice for they were too engrossed in watching the stadium as the teams appeared.

"I'm afraid we might be too difficult to see in our crowd, Matilda," said Gael with an amused smile.

"Or they might be too engrossed in the game," said Justin. Matilda breathed a sigh and sat back down, slightly disappointed.

"Loo, the captains!" said Virgil. Sure enough, a Spix and a Lear's macaw and the captains of the two teams, Roberto of the Spix and Waldo of the Lear's, perched onto the central rock column. Roberto looked a little worried.

"Are you alright, Roberto?" asked Waldo concerned.

"I'm fine," said Roberto, shaking off the flying fox worry. He decided to just tell the Lear's macaw about what was troubling him. "That little report about the little flying fox activity."

"Oh," said Waldo. Then he frowned. "Look, let's just focus on the game. Soleado has that covered and now is not the time to let that bother us. It's probably just a one-off."

"I hope it is," murmured Roberto. Then a bare-faced curassow, the referee, with an orange and yellow motmot, the coin toss bird, appeared. The curassow held the fruit shell ball.

"Ready?" asked the curassow referee. Waldo and Roberto nodded.

"Heads," said Waldo with a smile.

"Tails," said Roberto, poised to start. The curassow then tossed the motmot into the air. The motmot spun and then slammed back onto the rock surface between Roberto and Waldo on her front and with her two tail feathers sticking in the air, indicating 'tails', Roberto's choice.

"Do I have to go through this each time a game starts?" she muttered, her face twisted in pain. The curassow referee then picked up the motmot and set the shell ball down. Roberto then kicked the ball from the rock surface and began to dribble the ball through the stadium air to the cheers of the Spix macaws. His teammates and the Lear's macaw opponents, Waldo included, then gave chase.

"Oooh, there goes Roberto, ladies and gentlemen," shouted the tapir narrator in his big voice, "He's kicked the ball to Geraldo who has then passed it to Zephyr…"

The Spix macaws, especially Venus, Justin, Matilda and Virgil, Azurite and Aquamarine, Brisa, Ophelia, Chilro and Lavender and their friends all cheered as Zephyr weaved in and out of the Lear's macaw opponents as they tried snatching the ball from him. Zephyr continued dribbling the ball towards the Lear's macaw's goal where Paolo, the goalie for the Lear's macaw's team, waited. The goalie then got prepared to save the ball from the goal. Zephyr then shot the ball to a female member of the Spix macaw team and she shot it at Paolo but the goalie caught the ball much to the cheer of the Lear's macaws.

"Ooh, that was so close," said Sapphire with a smile.

"Zephyr is such a good dribbler, isn't he?" said Valentino. Next, Paolo threw the ball back into the stadium and the game continued. The macaw dribbling the ball was Mercury, much to the cheers of Sapphire, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan and Annette.

"Yeah, go DAD!" shouted Phoebe and Annette together.

"Mercury is dribbling the ball with Marcus and some other Spix macaws in hot pursuit," shouted the tapir.

"And he has passed it to Alejandro," shouted the porcupine. Mercury has passed the ball to Alejandro seconds before the Spix macaw named Marcus could tackle him and take the ball. Blu and Jewel smiled.

"He's had plenty of practice," said Blu slightly jealously.

"Mercury is also a good soccer player," said Eduardo. Alejandro then shot the ball to Jasmine, the newcomer to the Lear's macaw team.

"Oh, go, Jasmine," shouted Phoebe and Annette together. Squaw'tagnan smiled as Jasmine then dribbled the ball as fast as she could, cerulean and light blue comets zooming in to snatch the ball from her. However, as she approached the Spix macaws' goal where their goalie, a female macaw named Vanessa, hovered, poised to save the ball, one of the cerulean comets shot in and snatched the ball from Jasmine before she could shoot it.

"Sorry, cousin but this is mine. Nice try though," said the comet cheekily, which was Charlotte, as she took the ball and began to dribble it away. Jasmine sighed and began to pursue her. Venus, Justin, Matilda and Virgil, Azurite and Aquamarine and their friends all cheered as Charlotte then passed the ball to Aurora who then passed it to Garrett. Garrett then dribbled the ball to the cheers of the Spix macaws and the tapir's narration before passing the ball to Roberto who was near Paolo, the Lear's goalie as three Lear's macaws, among them Waldo, shot in to try and take the ball. Then as quick as a flash, Roberto kicked the ball straight into the Lear's macaw's goal before Paolo could react.

"GOOOOOAAAAAL!" shouted the tapir, "What a fantastic shot from Roberto there!"

An uproarious cheer exploded from the Spix macaws (especially from Jewel, Blu, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Luke and Linda, Brisa, Lavender and some of the others who were Roberto's close friends) while the Lear's macaws uttered disappointed groans and slight cheers for Roberto. In the score-marker's hole, Roxie picked up a Brazil nut and set it onto the ledge above her to mark the goal. Monique, who had been watching Roberto the whole time, murmured, "He's ever so good at soccer. I wouldn't even stand a chance against him."

"He's been a part of our team shortly after his return to our tribe after he had managed to escape his abusive owner thanks to a city dog," said Roxie. Monique simply flashed a smile. Within moments, the referee, who has squawked a whistle, and after the ball that had been found by one of the Spix macaws and returned to the central rock column, the game was ready to go again. After the referee's whistle, the ball was set down and this time, Waldo kicked it and began to dribble the ball and pass it to his team members. Phoebe and Annette watched their half-uncle as he dodged incoming Spix macaw opponents and pass it to Daysi, one of his teammates and cheered while Sapphire and Squaw'tagnan shouted. The tapir continued to narrate the game as Daysi then passed the ball to Jasmine. Jasmine then began to dribble the ball but then began to face some difficulty from Felix and Jojo as they tried to get in close to take the ball from her.

"Oooh, Jasmine's facing some real competition from two of the newcomers from the Spix macaws' team, folks," shouted the tapir. Jasmine continued dribbling the ball with Roberto and Brisa's two sons continued lashing at the ball to take it. Lavender and Brisa who held Ophelia and Chilro, cheered loudly while Turquesa and Kira cheered for their boyfriends as well.

"Go, Jojo and Felix," shouted Kira, Turquesa and Lavender together.

"You too, Charlotte," shouted Músculo. Then Ricardo blew out a loud whistle to cheer his brother Tyler and the other Spix macaws on. Then Tyler flew in and joined in the playful skirmish over the ball as Jasmine neared the Spix macaws' goal where Vanessa waited. However, Jasmine's effort then ground to a halt as the three Spix macaws then began work together to snatch the ball from her.

"Shoot the ball, Jasmine," shouted Mercury from a distance. Jasmine continued kicking the ball this way and that as Jojo, Felix and Tyler, all determined to snatch the ball from her. Then with quick-thinking, the middle daughter of Mercury and Sapphire's first brood then kicked the ball vertically into the air, much to the confused surprise of her three attacking opponents. The ball rocketed high above the macaw players, much to the crowd's surprise. Then Waldo shot in and headed the ball the moment it came back down to the level of the players. The ball flew right over Vanessa's wing and straight into the Spix macaws' goal much to the cheers of their tribe.

"GOOOAAAAAL!" bellowed the tapir jubilantly, "What an amazing performance of teamwork from Jasmine and her half-uncle Waldo there!"

"Absolutely," shouted the porcupine commentator. Then the other Lear's players came round and tossed Jasmine and Waldo in the air and chanted their names, the Spix opponents looking on amused. Sapphire, Annette and Phoebe, Rosalind, Valentino and Danilo, and Squaw'tagnan all cheered loudly for Jasmine and Waldo. Charlotte smiled as Jasmine relished her first goal as Tyler, Jojo and Felix hovered beside her.

"She certainly did make a split-second decision doing that, didn't she?" said Jojo with a wide smile.

"Yeah, but just wait when she's neck-and-neck with Dad," said Felix, "He's an awesome player."

"Well, I guess it's one-all," said Tyler as he gazed into the score-markers' hole and watched Monique place a fruit shell onto the ledge to mark Waldo and Jasmine's goal, Roxie smiling widely.

The action-filled game continued with three more goals scored. Marcus had managed to score the second goal for the Spix macaws, causing the tribe to go into a Mexican wave, Alejandro scored the next goal for the Lear's macaws and caused the Lear's macaws to enter into a Mexican wave as well, and Charlotte scored the third goal for the Spix macaws as well. However, during the process, several accidents also happened. Daysi accidentally collided with Aurora, injuring her foot in an attempt to take the ball from her but could not slow down, resulting in a yellow card from the referee and coin-toss bird to signify her foul and Blu to send in a substitute. Daysi issued a sincere apology to Aurora and helped her to the first-aid group on her tribe's side while her substitute flew in from the substitute line and joined the team. Aurora clenched her foot the whole time, her face twisted in pain while Daysi forfeited continuing, making Valentino send in a substitute to replace her. Another accident involved Zephyr accidentally kicking the ball at Mercury's head, stunning him as he attempted to pass it to a teammate only for Mercury to try and intercept, and Charlotte narrowly avoided colliding with Alejandro as she tried taking the ball from him. Because the games were now on good terms, all the bird tribes and clans and groups no longer in conflict with each other, the teams, especially Felipe's team and that of the green tribe, had become more disciplined whereas before, these two teams had deliberately injured their opponents' team members and pretended it was an accident.

 **The blue-and-gold tribe's territory boundary outskirts to the flying fox colony's territory**

While the game between the Spix and the Lear's macaws continued, Soleado and Zoie, together with their offspring Tobias, Amarillo and Bromelia who were now grown up, were at the edge of the blue-and-gold tribe's territory at the marked trees nearest to the flying foxes' territory. With them were patrols from their own tribe and macaw patrols from the other tribes as well. Maximillian and three other Spix macaws from the Spix macaw tribe, sent here by Blu, and a group of four Lear's macaws sent by Waldo were present. Also present were Alonso, Demetrio, Reynaldo and Felipe from the green tribe, the Bluewing Clan, the blue-throated macaw clan and the red tribe respectively, and some of their macaws, among them Jupiter, Uranus and Cobalto had accompanied them.

"So this is the spot where you've seen those four flying foxes, Felicia?" asked Felipe with a frown, his green eyes gazing at the spot.

"Yes," said Felicia, who was the blue-and-gold tribe's score-marker and who had been one of the patrolling macaws to see the flying foxes. "They were hovering right there, just inside the trees marked by our aqua blue and yellow feathers."

She indicated to the spot with a point.

"What were they doing?" asked Alonso, "Did you get a proper glimpse of their behaviour?"

"We only saw flashes of those bats through gaps in the trees, sir," said Titan, one of Saturn and Orquidea's sons and Brooke's boyfriend who had also been on the patrol group, "But I did see that they were hovering about as though they were planning on entering our territory but as we approached them, they had disappeared into the flying foxes' territory."

"Maybe it was just a one-off or something?" asked Jupiter with a puzzled frown. Demetrio, however, wore and expression that was the opposite of Jupiter's puzzled look. That same look was mirrored on Soleado and Zoie and on Alonso and Reynaldo's faces as well. It was the look of suspicion.

"I don't know," said Soleado with uncertainty, "If that is the case, then I hope those bats will have remembered our truce." A look of disgust then crossed his face. "But I don't trust that barbaric scar-faced bat and his equally deranged mate one bit," he growled, "If they are planning on anything suspicious, then I would like to be kept informed."

"The last thing we want is any threats from those flying furballs," said Zoie. She said the last two words with pure malice for she loathed those flying foxes with a burning passion for what they did to so many bird tribes, clans and groups in the past and how they viewed birds. "This is bird territory and we have made a truce with Cicatriz's parents, Bruto and Sombra that we wouldn't intrude into their side and those bats on ours and I believe Cicatriz and Iracebeth will have been taught to stick to that truce as they took their place as colony leaders but if they breach that truce, there's gonna be trouble."

"Especially during the Amazon Pit of Games League," said Alonso. He then gazed in the direction of the Pit of Games and said, "I wonder how the Lear's macaws are doing with the Spix macaws."

Just then, Maximillian and his Spix macaw companions returned.

"We cannot see any activity from those bats anywhere at all," said Maximillian as he and his friends perched before Soleado and Zoie. A few feet away, Tobias, Bromelia and Amarillo were gazing out into the flying foxes' territory, keeping an eye for any flashes of drab colour from the bats. Seconds later, the other patrols from the other tribes and clans also landed.

"Definitely no bats," said Cobalto who perched with his friends from the blue-throated macaw clan, and also the patrollers from the glaucous and Navyfeather hyacinth macaw flocks sent by Rudi and Flavio.

"Looks like they've realised their mistake and have retreated into their territory," said one of the glaucous macaws.

"But we'll keep this border under constant and thorough examination in the coming days," said one of the Navyfeather hyacinth macaws, "and we'll keep our tribes and clans and also the smaller bird groups, especially Andromeda and Eragon's archaeobird clan, informed of any flying fox activity."

"That's good, folks," said Soleado, "And make sure that you do."

"We're sorry for any interruptions caused," said Zoie. She then nodded to the Spix and Lear's patrol groups. "Especially you guys since you've got a game going on."

"That's okay," said Maximillian, "Sometimes duty must call if an important job needs doing."

"Especially when our sworn enemies are involved," said one of the Lear's macaws slightly sourly. Then after the examination talk was completed, Soleado dismissed the patrollers and all the non-blue-and-gold macaws dispersed and returned to their tribes and clans. On the way, Jupiter flew alongside Felipe.

"We'd better send someone to inform Andromeda and her clan about the flying foxes," he said, "If those archaoebirds ever face trouble from those bats…"

"Look, Jupiter, the archaoebirds will be fine and Soleado has that covered already," said Felipe firmly, "And besides that, that clan is on the opposite side of the Sanctuary de Amazon, WELL away from the flying fox colony's territory, so they're absolutely safe and any chance of them encountering those furballs are slim. Let's just return to our tribe, okay?"

Jupiter sighed and followed his scarlet and green-winged comrades back to the red tribe. Since their settling into the expanded part of the Sanctuary de Amazon, Andromeda, Eragon and their clan had been told about the flying foxes including how they loathed birds and saw them as vermin and how so many bird tribes and clans had been driven out by the bats. Andromeda and Eragon had been utterly horrified that a colony of bird-hating bats lived so close to the Sanctuary de Amazon but they had been informed by the macaw tribe and clan leaders that they will be constantly updated about the flying foxes and that any activity of theirs will be reported.

 **Meanwhile**

The game between the Lear's and Spix macaws continued. It was now three-all and there was one fruit shell left. Whichever team scored the final goal will win the game. The Spix and Lear's macaws continued cheering for their teams and the tapir and porcupine continued to narrate the final game as it continued to rush by, the teams playing harder than ever, both focussed on scoring the winning goal.

"We now have one goal left, everyone," shouted the porcupine, "This will be the tie-breaker! The question is who will break that tie?"

"Oooh, Roberto's dribbling the ball and has passed it to Tyler," shouted the tapir. Roberto had passed the ball to Tyler the moment Waldo flew in to try and snatch it. As Tyler began to dribble the ball with Lear's macaws in hot pursuit, Monique and Roxie in the score-marker hole gazed at the final fruit shell that lay before them. The other six sat on the ledge above them, three above each macaw.

"Well, only one left, Monique," said Roxie with a smile, "And one more goal to go. After that, it's the end of the game."

"I look forward to seeing Amelia when my team goes up against the green macaws," said Monique, "Before we made peace, we used to scowl each other and look down on one another each time our team scored a goal." She breathed a regretful sigh, "But I'm glad all that's over."

Roxie smiled. Suddenly, the tapir's voice exploded in the stadium air outside the hole, snapping the two score-markers out of their conversation.

"GOOOOOAAAAAALL, WHAT AN AMAZING SHOT FROM CHARLOTTE THERE! THAT'S THE WINNING GOAL FOR THE SPIX MACAWS WHO WIIIIIIN!"

Roxie, at this, immediately seized the final fruit shell while Monique laughed.

"Looks like your team's beaten us, Roxie," she said. Outside, the Spix macaws all screeched in cheering while Charlotte was tossed in the air by her teammates who chanted her name. The Lear's macaws let loose disappointed groans but cheered for their opponents for winning. Then the Lear's macaw team congratulated the Spix macaw team and vice versa for playing so well. Waldo gazed at Charlotte as he hovered with Roberto as her teammates and some Lear's macaws including Mercury and Jasmine continued congratulating her.

"You certainly do have some excellent new additions to your team, Robbie," he said, "I can see that one of your nieces has some _awesome_ soccer skills."

"Oh, she's loved soccer when she was a chick according to Zephyr and Venus," said Roberto, "In fact she used to play it with her 'cousins' back in Rio."

"So that's how her skills have developed?" said Waldo. Suddenly, he heard Sapphire call his name. Waldo flashed a glance at his half-sister and her family, together with Monique and their son Danilo who had been under the care of a babysitter the whole time as they waited for him.

"Oh, aye, I'd better go," said Waldo with a smile. He then shook talons with Roberto. "Well played and I wish you luck in your next game."

And with that, he rocketed off after his tribe.

"You too," said Roberto. Later, the Spix and Lear's macaw tribes had left the Pit of Games and had returned home. As the Spix macaws settled back into their ravine and prepared to celebrate their victory of their first game, some friends of Carla, Bia and Tiago and company had come to visit. As Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Lavender, Ricardo, Músculo, Turquesa andKira all congratulated Tyler, Charlotte, Aurora (who stood on one foot due to her injury when Daysi accidentally collided with her) and Garrett, Jojo and Felix for playing so well, a group of red macaws with two other non-red macaws arrived. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, together with Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos and Sheldon, Byron, Mimas, Athos and Estelle, Benjamin and Umbriel touched down before them group of Spix macaws.

"Hey, Spix buddies, who won the first game?" asked Io.

"We did," said Carla.

"You should have seen Charlotte," said Músculo excitedly, "She's the one who scored the winning goal."

"The Lear's macaws also had some excellent teamwork," said Tyler, "When I, Jojo and Felix were hot on Jasmine's tail, Jasmine kicked the ball up vertically for her half-uncle Waldo to shoot into our goal."

Jojo and Felix smiled as they remembered that little skirmish with Jasmine over the ball.

"Yeah, that sometimes happens," said Europa, "But injuries also occur." Her eyes then travelled to Aurora's injured foot, "And I can see that Aurora's been involved in one."

"Daysi came at me too fast to try and take the ball but couldn't slow down in time to avoid a collision," said Aurora, "And BAM! We crashed into each other and my foot got caught between us."

The red macaws, Umbriel and Mimas all flinched.

"Oooh," winced Ganymede, "That must have hurt."

"It did," said Aurora, "And as a result I couldn't play."

"Daysi actually forfeited continuing since she felt it wasn't fair to continue playing after injuring Aurora," said Charlotte.

"I would do the same if I injured a player on the opponent's team quite badly in an accident," said Callisto. "I may be an excellent soccer player like you, Charlotte, but I would also find it unfair to continue if that were to happen to me and a player in the opponent's team."

Then Benjamin remembered something.

"Hey, guys, did you know that the next game's between us reds and the green tribe?" he asked. He then smiled at Umbriel who smiled in return.

"Both Benjamin and me are in the teams too," said Umbriel, "It's going to be quite a challenge when that game comes. I'm not gonna go easy on my scarlet boyfriend when we play."

"Well it's hard to play against friends, isn't it at times," said Carla.

"Especially if you're focussed on winning," said Jojo, "You know how tough you have to be."

"But not TOO tough, obviously," said Tiago.

"If that were to happen," said Bia, "By my calculations, the likelihood of accidents happening would probably be doubled, tripled or quadrupled."

The other macaws tittered and Virgil shared a hearty hug with his nerdy girlfriend.

"Not only that," said Callisto, "Both sides would be at a higher risk of some serious injuries."

"When the hyacinth macaws come to play eventually when their turn comes," said Sheldon, "They are actually going to be very careful not to hurt any of us since they are much larger than us."

"Actually, it's only the adolescents who will be playing for they are smaller," said Phobos, "Fully grown hyacinths are too large for rough games like soccer."

"Really?" said Carla.

"It's to reduce the chances of serious injuries happening to the smaller opponents should any collisions occur," said Deimos. He then nodded to Aurora and added, "Suppose Daysi had been a hyacinth macaw and she crashed into you like how she did in the Pit. You'd probably suffer a broken leg rather than a sprain."

"Oh, yeah, absolutely," said Aurora. She flinched at the thought of getting hit by a macaw almost twice her size.

"And that would be horrible indeed," said Kira from the back. Carla then felt it was time to move on.

"Well, it's nice of you guys to come on over and congratulate us on winning our first game but," she said, her stomach beginning to growl, "we need some lunch. I'll see you guys later."

And with that, she opened her wings and took off. Bia and Tiago followed, alongside Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, and Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Kira, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Garrett, Músculo and Turquesa.

"Okay, we'll see you guys later," said Ganymede and with that, he and his group turned and took off in another direction.

"Those Spix macaws sure did have an excellent time, didn't they?" said Europa as she flew alongside Byron.

"Well, I hope we have an excellent game with the green macaws as well," said Estelle, "Whether we win or lose, the most important part is enjoying it."

"Yes, definitely," said Alexandre. Then Mimas slowed to a hover, a worried look on her face.

"And I sure hope those flying foxes aren't planning to interfere," she murmured, "Especially after what the patrol group, among them Ignacio and my brother Titan, had seen with those four bats hovering near the marked border earlier…"

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Ganymede, "Let's just get ourselves some lunch as well, okay?"

"Yeah, my stomach's starting to get on my nerves," muttered Athos. With that he placed a talon on his growling tummy. Mimas nodded and followed her friends out of the Spix macaws' ravine and returned to the red tribe's territory to eat.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- suspicious intrusions**

 **Next day**

Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and cousin Kira, were by the ravine pool relaxing after an exciting day with the game against the Lear's macaws yesterday. Jojo, Felix and Lavender were out with their father Roberto on a patrol trip while Músculo, Aurora, Turquesa and Garrett were helping with some of the chick classes and Tyler and Ricardo were with their parents Nuvem and Cassia at their mini-infirmary helping them to treat minor injuries of casualties such as scratches and plant stings. With Carla and the other seven present were golden conures Caspian and Citrine, chestnut-fronted macaws Alessandro and Rhiannon, and blue-headed macaws Kiawe and Mariposa, and Anakin, Andromeda and Ophiuchus's brother with his bat-bird mount named Garnet. Garnet's skin and fur-like covering was reddish like Rouge, the bat-bird mount of Andromeda and he was a male bat-bird.

"I heard you Spix macaws had had an excellent game with the Lear's macaws," said Anakin as he ate a meal in a large folded leaf. In the leaf was a small lizard that Anakin had freshly hunted in addition to mashed fruit and some insects stuffed inside. The large leaf had been laid flat and its filling placed on top. It was then rolled and consumed like how humans consumed tortilla, leaf and all. None of the macaw tribes and clans or smaller bird groups ate meals like this but Anakin had told Carla and company that it was one of the ways his clan sometimes ate their meals. The meal had been called 'Hoja Doblada' or 'Folded Leaf' in Spanish, derived from the need to fold the leaf over its filling before eating it. It was obvious that Andromeda's original clan in Jurassic Jungle in Guyana had somehow managed to pick up Spanish, along with French, Portuguese and English and several other languages at some point in their history. Anakin ate his 'Hoja Doblada' while his bat-bird Garnet fed on some dragonflies he had hunted above a lake.

"Yes, we did, Anakin," said Carla.

"We've managed to win," said Bia.

"Charlotte was the one to shoot the winning goal," said Justin and with that, he gazed at his sister who smiled. Anakin then sighed.

"You'll be wondering what it might be like playing against us when our turn comes," he said.

"Oh, you seem to play soccer quite well on your bat-bird mounts," said Caspian as he played draughts with Kiawe using the wooden pieces Athos had carved on another large leaf painted to resemble a checkerboard.

"We've observed your cousin Spock dribbling a fruit shell ball quite well while riding his bat-bird mount," said Kiawe.

"We have to use our wing claws since we cannot actually fly by ourselves like you can," said Anakin. "Sounds like a bend in the rules but that's the best we could manage soccer."

"The next game is between the red and the green macaw tribes," said Alessandro, "And that is two days away."

"I'm wondering if the teams will be practicing," said Rhiannon, her gaze staring out into the ravine air as she thought of the said macaws.

"They will be doing," said Charlotte, "Especially if they either have newcomers or the experienced members are rusty in their skills."

The others smiled. Then Tiago said, "Anyway, moving on. Have any of you guys considered having kids at some point in the future? Matilda and I had just been talking about it."

"It's a possibility," said Virgil. He then gazed lovingly and longingly at Bia who smiled in agreement. Having kids was one of her desires for she would like to share her scientific interests with them when she did.

"I would like to have a clutch too," said Carla as she sat with Justin, "I hope they would take after me in my love of music and dancing."

"Well you can't decide what your kids would like, Carly," said Justin, affectionately calling her by her nickname.

"We were thinking about becoming mates and having kids too," said Rhiannon with a dreamy smile, "But we never really got down to implementing it yet."

"In time, maybe," said Alessandro.

"My brother Ophiuchus and sister-in-law Honeydew have been discussing about having chicks as well," said Anakin, "I am already an uncle of a niece and a nephew who are my sister Andromeda's offspring but I'm certainly looking forward to having more nephews and nieces when Ophiuchus and Honeydew go ahead with the plan."

"Have you thought about having your own kids, Ani?" asked Matilda. Anakin sighed and shook his head.

"Doesn't appeal to me, actually," he said, his eyes closed, "I prefer being an uncle than a dad. Besides that, going out with a female archaeobird and getting to know her before becoming mates doesn't appeal to me. It did when I was an adolescent but not now."

Anakin then took another bite out of his 'Hoja Doblada'. A crunching noise escaped his mouth as he chewed on something crunchy in the filling.

"I would like to try making one of those 'Hoja Doblada' rolls at some point, folks," said Mariposa, gazing at Anakin's folded leaf and its filling as he continued eating it. "It's something we have never heard of or seen before."

"None of our tribes, clans or groups makes things like that anyway," said Bia, "Certainly not fire torches. Mind you fire has a very bad reputation here in the Amazon after the horrible history we have had with it."

The others murmured in agreement. Then suddenly, the group was made aware of the sounds of frantic wing flaps, accompanied by the sounds of Blu and Jewel's names being called. It was from a silvery voice, distinct from the other macaws of the tribe. At this, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Mariposa, Kiawe, Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine and Caspian turned and faced the sources of the sound. To their surprise, it was Roberto and his patrol group, among them Jojo, Felix and Lavender, flying in at a fast rate. Roberto, Jojo and Felix's crest feathers were spiked out all over the place while Lavender's ponytail was flared and the eyes of all six of the macaws, including two others that had joined Roberto and his first brood sons and daughter, were wide with fright.

"Looks like Roberto and his patrol group have seen a monster," said Kira, commenting on their frightened appearance.

"Roberto, Jojo and Felix actually look like they've had an electric shock," said Mariposa who was somewhat familiar with human terms. She had visited Rio one summer with Blu and his family and had learned a bit about electricity.

"Why are they so scared out of their feathers?" asked Anakin. Beside him, Garnet released a curious growl.

"BLU, JEWEL!" cried Roberto again. In response to their names being called the two macaws emerged from Eduardo's tree, the owner of it following. Blu and Jewel had gone over to Eduardo to discuss something and Linda and Luke were in one of the chick classes outside the ravine. Blu, Jewel and Eduardo then stood in front of their hollow as Roberto and the other five landed clumsily before them and began to pant for breath.

"Whoa, calm down, you six," said Jewel.

"What's the problem?" asked Blu. Behind Roberto's patrol group, Carla and company fluttered closer to see what had frightened Roberto and his group. Then as soon as he had got his breath back, Roberto spoke.

"We have seen a group of flying foxes flying through our mango grove near the Spix/Lear's border," said Roberto. Blu and Jewel, at this, raised their heads as though they had been stung by a bee while Eduardo's eyes widened.

"You're JOKING!" barked Eduardo in disbelief.

"How many of those bats were there and what were they up to?" asked Jewel.

"There were about five of them and they were eating some fruit from one of our mango trees," said Jojo, "but when we went to chase after them, they had just retreated, flying into the Lear's macaws' territory."

When Jojo said this, Carla, Bia and Tiago exchanged horrified glances while the others looked on incredulously.

"A group of flying foxes has decided to wander into our territory and that of the Lear's macaws now?" asked Justin.

"There's no way that could have been accidental," said Charlotte with a frown.

"It sounds serious," said Anakin, "Since we were told that those bats had a truce with you birds…"

"Right, I'll set up a patrol group to send to the mango grove," said Blu, "And then tell them to go into the Lear's macaws' territory to tell Waldo and Monique that there is a group of bats in their territory."

And with that, he opened his wings and took off to set up a patrol group. Carla, Bia, Tiago and their group then made their appearance.

"What were those bats doing this far into our land?" asked Carla to Jewel, Eduardo, Roberto, Jojo, Lavender, Felix and the other two macaws.

"Isn't the truce between us and Cicatriz's colony still in place?" asked Bia.

"Could they have forgotten it?" asked Kira. Jewel just shook her head and scowled.

"I don't know but that's what we would like to find out," she said.

"They were just there, in the mango grove eating some of our mangoes," said Jojo.

"Though those bats already have plenty of fruit growing in their area to support the entire colony," said Felix, "why a group of them has decided to come into our patch to eat our fruit without our permission is what we don't understand."

"Well, whether we understand why or not," growled Roberto angrily, "It's obviously a breach of the truce. I think if we ever see any more flying foxes flying around our territory and sampling our fruit, we're gonna be using harsh forces to drive them out."

"Not to mention Cicatriz and Iracebeth receiving a strong warning from us," said Eduardo.

"Have any of you ever intruded into the bats' territory at all?" asked Anakin.

"Apart from the incident with Saturn, Ceres, Venus and Mars's accidental straying into their area a few years ago," said Jewel, "No, we haven't. Certainly not on purpose."

"Sounds like you macaws have had a bad history with those bats besides fire," said Anakin.

"Us and the flying foxes have always been in conflict for as far as we know," said Eduardo, "Even when my, Mimi and our deceased sister Lea's mother and father had been chicks, the flying foxes had been the sworn enemies of the birds of the Amazon."

"They see us as vermin," said Lavender, "Which is what motivates them in driving out bird tribes and clans and grabbing their land. Why they see us as vermin, it has never been known."

"But we have reached a truce with Bruto and Sombra, the parents of Cicatriz and Augustus," said Eduardo, "And that has stood for years but now, it is starting to crumble."

Anakin looked on concerned but then he tried to assure the macaws. "I'm sure some of those bats are just disobedient," he said, "All this Cicatriz bat needs to do is remind them of the truce or face the consequences."

"Well, I sure hope he does," snapped Jewel furiously, "Because if he doesn't, he's gonna be receiving a serious reprimand from us."

"Definitely," put in Eduardo. Then the flapping of a pair of wings reached their ears as Blu returned.

"I've set up a patrol group and sent them to the mango tree grove to check the area," he reported, "And also to find a passing Lear's macaw patrol at the Spix/Lear's border and tell them to tell Waldo and Monique, Valentino and Rosalind that a group of flying foxes had intruded into their territory as well."

"That's good, Blu," said Jewel, "Hopefully, Waldo and Monique will send some patrol groups to keep an eye on the mango tree grove on their side as well."

As she said this, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and Anakin gazed at Jojo, Felix and Lavender as the group returned to their relaxation spot.

"Valentino is not going to like this news," said Kira in a low voice, "I can tell you."

"I thought that the report from the blue-and-gold macaws about a group of flying foxes right near their border to the bats' territory was a one-off," said Carla, "But a group of flying foxes actually IN our territory, especially this far into birds' land, I don't understand it."

"Well, like Aunt Jewel said," said Jojo firmly, "Cicatriz and Iracebeth are probably unaware that some of their colony members are disobedient or had forgotten the truce. Anyway, let's go and play."

Carla, Bia and Tiago exchanged worried glances with each other and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Kira and Anakin, but then shrugged it off and left.

 **The red tribe's home patch**

In a clearing of the trees in which the scarlet and green-winged macaw tribe lived, a practice soccer game was going on. The scarlet and green-winged macaws who were on the team were flying about, shooting the fruit shell ball this way and that like they did in the Pit of Games. The team had been split into two smaller teams, each indicated by a ring of plant material around their necks to distinguish teammates from opponents. Team one wore interwoven sticks around their necks while team two had vines and leaves. Among the team were Callisto, Byron and Sheldon and the latter's scarlet macaw father Ramon who had been in the red tribe's team for years. All four were on the stick team while Estelle, Athos and Alexandre were on the vine and leaf team. While the macaws darted about with two, one from each team hovering between branches which served as makeshift goals, ready to save the ball from their opponents, Felipe stood on a branch. Though he was the team's captain, he had decided to stand in as a referee. Callisto then kicked the ball towards the vine and leaf team's goalie, Tito, and sent it flying over his wing, scoring the goal for the stick team. Felipe screeched a whistle.

"Good shootin' Callisto," he shouted, "Your skills certainly are getting better and better."

In a nearby tree, Cherie and Europa stood in for score-markers. The former marked the scores of the stick team while the latter marked the vine and leaf team's scores and the markers used were red berries. Cherie picked up a berry and placed it on her other side to mark Callisto's goal.

"Callisto certainly is a pro at this, isn't she?" said Europa. Cherie smiled and then scanned the cloud of team macaws with her brown eyes.

"Too bad Jupiter and Mars aren't here," she said. Jupiter had gone to the blue-throated macaw and Bluewing hyacinth macaw clans' territory while Mars was helping out with a class of chicks, among them his and Chiquitita's daughter Gabrielle. "They're missing out on a lot of practice time."

"I'm sure they'll join us when they find time," said Europa. Then soon, after the ball had been retrieved by one of the vine and leaf team members and at Felipe's whistle-squawk, the game was off again with red comets with blue, teal, and green or yellow wings chasing after the ball. Europa smiled as she watched Byron pass the ball to Sheldon who then passed the ball to his dad Ramon as Athos flew in to snatch the ball from him. Alexandre then gave chase after Ramon with some other vine and leaf team members. Europa, along with Ganymede and Io, was not on the Pit of Games team but she had opted to help with the score-marking but she was very proud of her dad and sister that they were on the Pit of Games team, along with Mars and Alexandre. Soccer, however, did not appeal to Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos at all.

While the red macaws continued their practice match with Cherie smiling at her mate Tito as he hovered in the vine and leaf team's goal, poised to save the ball, Cherie and Europa were made aware of the sounds of a few pairs of wings beating the air. At this, the two scarlet macaws turned and found the source. It were a group of five macaws and one of the patrol groups Felipe had sent out to scan the red tribe's territory and check on the neighbours and co-inhabitants. However, all five macaws looked panicked, as though they had seen a monstrous harpy eagle. As the five approached the two scarlet macaw score-markers, panting for breath, one of them, a green-winged male, managed to ask, "Hey, Cherie, Europa (puffs, pants), is Felipe here?"

"He's on that branch," said Cherie, gesturing to the said branch with a point. "Why, is there something wrong?"

"Yes, very," said a female scarlet macaw in the patrol group. Then before Europa could ask, the five macaws hurried off in Felipe's direction, leaving Europa and Cherie to gaze at each other, puzzled. Then the two scarlet macaws opened their wings and took off from their branch to listen to the five patrollers who had by now got Felipe's attention. The other red tribe team players' attention had been captured, resulting in the practice game grinding to a halt. As the other macaws gathered round and as soon as the patrol group had told Felipe about the problem, the red tribe patriarch's head shot up as though it had been jabbed from below by a long thorn.

"What!?" he shouted at the patrol group incredulously, "Where did you see those flying furballs?"

When Felipe mentioned this, horror tore through the team and Europa.

"In the guava grove where a small group of sun parakeets live," said the female scarlet macaw in the patrol group. "They were hovering around as though examining our grove but when we approached them, they disappeared into the trees."

"There were about six of them," said a female green-winged macaw. An uncertain groan sounded from the team and Felipe began to think. He then thought of a possible solution, but his face was thunderous.

"Alright," he said firmly, "I'll send some more red macaws to that spot and check the sun parakeets to see if they are alright. However, we're trying to rehearse for our game with the green macaws that is in a few days' time."

"Okay, Felipe, sorry to interrupt your practice match," said the female scarlet macaw. Felipe then turned to the other soccer team macaws.

"I'm afraid this practice match is gonna have to be put on hold for a bit," he said, "I have just had report of a flying fox intrusion in the guava grove and the sun parakeet group's living space. I would like you all to stay here while I go and send out some more patrol groups to examine that area and until I come back."

The others in the team all nodded obediently. With that, Felipe opened his wings and took off, the patrol group of five in tow. Tito looked on, disbelief in his eyes.

"I don't believe this," he muttered, "How could a group of flying foxes be hovering in our territory?"

"Especially if none of our borders are anywhere near the borders of the flying fox colony's land," said Ramon.

"I hope it's just a one-off," said Cherie firmly, "Because if it isn't, then I'd dread to think what would follow."

Europa, Sheldon, Byron, Athos, Estelle and Alexandre, at this, shot the red tribe's team score-marker a mortified look. They had heard tales from the survivors of the bird tribes and clans that had been violently driven out by those bats of how seemingly minor and insignificant intrusions from those winged mammals escalated to a more serious threat and eventually their loss of their home to the bird-hating bats. However, the six had hoped that the statement at the flying fox intrusion at being just a mere one-off was true.

 **The territory of the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous macaw tribe**

A group of two hyacinth macaws from Flavio's clan and seven glaucous macaws from Rudi's tribe were on an outing through the trees of their territory. The two hyacinth macaws were Pedro, the father of Victor and mate of Bruna, and Neptune and the glaucous macaws were Lapis Lazuli, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden and they were accompanied by Falkor the milicinth macaw and Ámbar the lutino blue-and-gold macaw, a mutation in which a blue-and-gold lacked the blue and green pigments in their back areas, resulting in an ivory back with a golden yellow underside. Over the years, Falkor and Ámbar had not changed much and still had their usual plumage colours, with Falkor's being dark teal with dark blue in his wing flight feathers, tail and chest and Ámbar's plumage its usual ivory and golden yellow.

"So how are you guys doing?" asked Falkor with a bright smile.

"Oh, we're just fine," said Neptune, "Marinho's doing well in Flavio's training in leadership while the rest of us are thriving like usual."

"And the rest of us are just up to our usual activities," said Pedro. He then remembered his son Victor and said, "And Victor is doing well as well. I've noticed how close he is getting to Indigo, Neptune's older daughter."

"Our son Triton and Penelope are also getting quite close too," said Neptune with a smile. He then smiled at Lapis Lazuli, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden and said, "And the glaucous macaws are doing well as well."

"Quite a number of chicks have been born in our tribe over the past few years," said Lapis Lazuli, "Including our youngest son, Charlie, and our tribe itself is really thriving. It's as though our original life we once had in our original home before those rotten bats drove us out all those years ago had returned."

"When I first met the tribe, I just could not believe how many glaucous macaws there were," Aiden said, "In fact, my little family and group thought they were the only glaucous macaws in the world before poachers came along and destroyed them."

"Pluto, Charon, Quincy, Flor and Blueberry and I were believed to be the very last glaucous macaw family alive before we discovered our tribe," said Lapis Lazuli.

"We're so rare, you see," said Charon, "In fact; I believe our kind could be even rarer than the Spix and the Lear's macaws."

"Our tribe is actually smaller than the Spix, the red, the blue-and-gold, the green and the Lear's macaw tribes," said Blueberry, "But it's bigger than a hyacinth clan though."

"Before those bats drove our tribe out of their original home," said Lapis Lazuli, "It used to be the size of Eduardo and Felipe's tribes but we lost quite a few individuals during the siege."

She then shuddered at the awful memories. The trauma of the event still manifested in Lapis Lazuli's mind sometimes, especially in her nightmares. Aiden had been utterly horrified at this backstory, and had hoped that he would never meet any of those barbaric bats at all.

"Yes," said Falkor, "Those barbaric flying furballs certainly did put the glaucous macaw tribe through a horrific ordeal."

"In fact," said Ámbar, "We thought that the entire tribe had been completely slaughtered when Violeta and Demetrio's patrol group went into the territory and found only carcases but no signs of the glaucous macaws at all."

"Are those bats capable of slaughtering an entire tribe the size of Eduardo, Blu and Jewel's?" asked Aiden fearfully.

"Yes," said Pedro darkly, "They're formidable foes, those bats. Often they attacked a bird tribe or clan when they least expect it. That is why so few survive such violent ordeals at the claws of those bats."

Aiden felt shivers course down his spine. Then suddenly, Neptune saw something up ahead and stopped the group.

"Hide!" he called and with that, the entire group all dived into a bush of leaves. Then Neptune parted some of the leaves and looked out. However, when his eyes landed on what he had seen, a horrified gasp was sucked through his beak.

"What is…" began Falkor but when his eyes landed on what Neptune saw, his beak dropped open and a gasp rushed in through his beak as well. Then Pedro and Charon peered out from another spot in the leaves, as did Ámbar, Aiden, Blueberry, Neytiri, Quincy and Flor, and Lapis Lazuli. A few metres in front of the mixed group of hyacinth, glaucous, milicinth and lutino blue-and-gold macaws were six enormous furry creatures perched in a branch of a tree but they weren't monkeys or any other tree mammal that had arms and legs. Instead, these creatures had membranous wings that were as black as soil. Their faces resembled an English doglike animal with reddish fur Neptune had sometimes seen in the English countryside during his time as a pet in London. The fur of the creatures was either brown, dark brown, reddish or orangish but the pelages of all six of them were slashed with hideous gashes of ugly skin. Charon, Blueberry and Neytiri flinched in revulsion. They remembered Talonclaw, the father of Ophiuchus, Andromeda and Anakin and the uncle of Spock back in Jurassic Jungle who had some gashes of scarred skin down his torso but those were earned during his escape from a predatory bat-bird, not earned deliberately as in a vicious fight with a bird with talons. Aiden especially felt nauseated for he had been told that many of the flying foxes from Cicatriz's colony bore hideous scars from countless fights with birds. The six dog-faced creatures were talking about something, unaware that they were being watched. Falkor felt disgust and hot rage tore through him while Lapis Lazuli shuddered.

"What are those six members of Cicatriz's colony doing in our patch!?" Falkor hissed.

"They shouldn't even be here, that's for sure," said Pedro.

"Flavio and cousin Rudi aren't gonna like this," murmured Quincy. Then Neytiri cocked an ear to try and listen in on the flying foxes' conversation. However, the six bats were talking so quietly that she could not pick out meaningful words.

"What are they saying, Neytiri?" asked Charon. Neytiri frowned.

"I can't hear what they are saying," she said, "They're talking too quietly."

"Let's get closer," began Flor but a large navy blue wing hooked her shoulders and stopped her before she could move and inch.

"Don't even think about it, young lady," said Pedro firmly. Flor shot him a 'Why?' look.

"Those bats are incredibly dangerous," answered Ámbar darkly, "If they see you, they'd seriously injure you."

"We'd better get back to our tribe and clan's home and tell them about this," said Neptune. As he said this, Lapis Lazuli, her blue eyes fixed on the six bats before the group, began to shudder all the more. The presence of these bats was having a serious effect on her. Her body became flooded with adrenaline and her heartrate began to accelerate. Her breathing slipped out of her control and Lapis Lazuli's head felt like it was floating. Her rich blue and grey head feathers also spiked out. When Blueberry saw this, she asked, "Mom? Mom, are you alright?"

Lapis Lazuli did not reply. Then horrible memories came crashing down on her like floodwater. Lapis Lazuli heard maniacal laughter, murderous taunts and glaucous macaw screams. Then visions began to flare up in her mind. Scarred bat faces, their lethal weapons decorated with the feathers of birds their owners had taken from their victims as trophies, and falling glaucous macaws from the bloodily brutal inferno between them and the bats in her tribe's original home. Following these, visions of Lapis Lazuli herself as a young adolescent macaw and her then boyfriend Rodrigo fleeing through the dark jungle with some of the bats in hot pursuit then flashed in her mind.

"Lapis Lazuli, are you okay?" echoed Falkor's voice through the rush of horrible memories. Lapis Lazuli's immense terror then reached its peak. She began to shake like an earthquake and her breathing spiralled out of control. Her world began to blur together as her mind became overwhelmed by the bad memories of the flying fox attack on her tribe. Her stomach also churned and writhed and gastric contents threatened to come up and out and her upper body began to sway as though she had been on a wild ride and an urge to flee continued mounting up more and more steeply.

"What's causing her panic attack?" asked Ámbar's voice in an echo.

"It's those flying foxes over there," said Neptune's voice, also echoed, "We'd better get her away from those bats and quick!"

The moment those words escaped Neptune's beak, Lapis Lazuli rocketed into flight and began to fly as though she was being chased by a harpy eagle, whimpering in immense terror. Pedro, Falkor, Neptune, Ámbar, Charon, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Blueberry lofted into flight after her.

"Lapis Lazuli!" shouted Neptune. Aiden remained, his eyes gazing on the six flying foxes as they continued talking before finally spreading their membranous wings. Aiden observed the bats' facial expressions as they talked but when he saw what they were expression, his spine sparked and his skin crawled with unease. Then the six bats dropped from the branch, spread their wings and flapped into flight, before flying away into the trees.

"I don't like the looks of those bats' facial expressions," murmured Aiden nervously. He then realised he had been left behind. At this, he opened his wings and darted after the others.

"Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri," he called as he left, "Neptune, Pedro, Falkor, Ámbar, wait for me!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- uninvited guests**

 **In the territory of the Bluewing hyacinth Clan and blue-throated macaw clan by the border to the blue-and-gold macaws' territory**

Demetrio and Reynaldo, the patriarchs of the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans respectively, were perched in a pineapple tree, speaking with some other macaws: four Lear's, two red, two Spix and eight blue-throated. The four Lear's macaws were Sapphire, Mercury, and one of their daughters Phoebe and her boyfriend Squaw'tagnan. Jasmine and Annette were back in the Lear's macaw tribe's ravine, looking after their and Phoebe's younger brother Ozzy. The two red macaws were Jupiter and his son Ganymede; the two Spix macaws were Zephyr and Venus and the two blue-throated macaws were Ceres, Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio, Fernanda and Desdemona and Lucy. The two young sisters of the blue-throated macaw brothers were playing nearby under the care of Aurelio, playing with some brightly coloured pebbles, while Cobalto, Ceres, Azul and his girlfriend Fernanda and other younger brother Wilbur stood with the talkers. Zephyr and Venus's second-brood chicks, Azurite and Aquamarine, were in a class back in the Spix macaw tribe's territory.

"I heard you Spix macaws have beaten the Lear's macaws in the first match," said Demetrio with a smile, his sparkling gaze on Zephyr and Venus.

"My daughter Charlotte was the one to score the winning goal," said Zephyr proudly, "Truly an achievement on her first time in the Pit of Games."

"It's because she's had plenty of practice beforehand," said Phoebe, "When we were chicks, we used to play soccer quite a lot back in Rio."

Mercury then smiled at Jupiter and Ganymede as the father and son stood next to him and Sapphire. "And it will be their tribe's turn in the Pit of Games in a few days' time," he said, "Not to mention Jupiter and Callisto's first time in the stadium."

"Our opponents are going to be Alonso's team," said Jupiter. He then kicked an imaginary ball with his talons in a small dance of excitement. "It's gonna be good when we play against the green macaws."

"I've heard some of the greens in their team are very skilled players," said Sapphire, "Especially Luis, Lewin and Drake. They're absolute veterans those three."

"Callisto, my daughter seems to rival those three," said Jupiter, "During a practice match with me included, she certainly has some expert dribbling skills."

"She's honestly like Roberto from the Spix macaws," said Cobalto, "Very agile and quick-thinking."

"You have to be in soccer," said Reynaldo, "There is a lot going on in such a short amount of time in that stadium. No time for pauses."

"I'm rubbish at soccer," said Squaw'tagnan, "It's just not one of my things at all."

"Soccer isn't for everyone, I suppose," said Azul as he sat with Fernanda. The others all nodded and murmured in agreement. Nearby, Aurelio continued watching over Desdemona and Lucy as they played with some brightly coloured pebbles like marbles on a large branch. The pebbles were a gift from Athos, Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan to Ceres and Cobalto for their two daughters, which they had found during one summer trip to Rio with Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Linda, Luke and some of the other macaws that went with them. Squaw'tagnan flashed a glance at the two blue-throated macaw chicks.

"They certainly do like those pebbles that we have found for them, don't they, Ceres and Cobalto?" he said.

"They sure do," said Ceres, "It was a nice gift from you four for our daughters."

"It was well received," said Cobalto.

"I used to like playing with small brightly coloured things when I was their age," said Fernanda, "I think I've still got them somewhere in my parents' hollow but I have never really bothered checking."

"When we lived with our owners in London across the Atlantic Ocean," said Jupiter, "We used to be mad for brightly coloured wool, which is a type of human-made thread they use to make clothes and other things. During one visit to our owner Susan and Lucy's grandmother's house, we, along with Dash and Veggie, Travis and Sunset, got absolutely tangled up in her balls of wool much to our owners and the grandmother's utter shock and annoyance," he managed to stifle a laugh, "We actually had to cut ourselves free with our beaks to get out of the mess."

"Since then," said Venus, "our owners had forbidden us from going anywhere near wool or any other types of yarn."

Ceres and Mercury nodded in agreement as Venus said this.

"So it seems that you lot have had quite an adventurous fifteen years over in that over-the-Atlantic Ocean city and country then," said Demetrio intrigued. The four former pet macaws all nodded. Suddenly, the group of macaws were made aware of the sound of flapping wings emanating from behind Jupiter, Ganymede, Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Ceres and her family and Venus and Zephyr, but it was not just one pair of wings, but several. Next came a shuddering sound of an arm of wood and the rustling of trees and twigs as something landed on the branch. Demetrio and Reynaldo, who were facing in the wing flap sounds' owners, saw the said owners. But when their eyes spotted them, they were at first wide with an agape mouth but then a flash of outrage ignited within them. Jupiter and the others, wondering what was making the leaders of the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans angry, were about to turn round when the most scornful, mocking voices reached their ears.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't some of them smelly feathered jungle worms," said one, a male voice.

"Yeah, those rotten bundles of feathers known as macaws," said a female voice.

When Jupiter and the others turned round and faced the speakers, horror tore through them like an electric shock. Ganymede jumped behind his father, Zephyr spread his wings protectively across Venus as she felt immense fear flare within her, Cobalto also spread his wings protectively across Ceres, Wilbur, Azul and Fernanda and barked for Aurelio to bring Desdemona and Lucy back to the safety of the adult macaws, which he did without hesitation, and Sapphire, Mercury, Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan almost fell off their perch when their eyes landed on the speakers as well.

Venus, Mercury and Ceres had come across these creatures before, and Jupiter thought he had seen some of these creatures in a near-death experience vision shortly after he had pulled himself from a rushing stream several years ago. Three of the four had also got a glimpse of some creatures like them and Venus had also had a close brush with death with a group of them moments after the most recent fire. However, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Wilbur, Azul, Fernanda, Aurelio and Ganymede had never seen these creatures before, only having been told about them. When they had lived in Rio, on the Blu Bird Sanctuary when they were chicks, Phoebe and the others had been introduced to Basil and his colony, the colony of bats of an undiscovered species hidden away in a cave where some mystical ether was believed to have existed, and Squaw'tagnan had also met them with Athos, Porthos and Aramis during his trip to Rio with Blu and company as well. However, those bats were small fry compared to the monstrous bats standing on a branch before the group of birds.

There were four bats on the branch. Three were massive while the other two were smaller. Based on these two's sizes, Jupiter and some of the others assumed they were youngsters, but the other three, which were adults, were enormous. Their height was around half-way between Zephyr and Venus and the other small macaws' heights and Demetrio's height, possibly around Jupiter's size for he was a large scarlet macaw, bigger even than Felipe. The wings of all five of the creatures were not made of feathers but skin membranes supported by four very long finger-like twigs, and their bodies were not covered in feathers, but fur. If the adult creatures' wings were fully stretched open, they would probably reach about a metre and a half, as wide as Demetrio's or larger. The wing membranes stretched between each of the fingers and between the fourth finger and the body and a hook rose from the convergent point of the four fingers. The arms of the creatures ran through the leading edge of the wings with another, smaller piece of skin stretching ahead of them and between the hooked thumbs and the shoulders. The colour of the wing membranes was near charcoal black, like that of black soil or dark brown tree bark. The feet of the creatures were not talons, but clawed feet which they used to hang upside down from branches or other overhangs when sleeping. The faces of the creatures had conical snouts ending in a pair of nostrils. Two pointed ears stood erect atop their heads and in the middle of the snout and the ears were a pair of eyes filled with the most acidic scorn Jupiter and the others had ever seen. The features of the creatures' faces reminded Jupiter, Mercury, Venus and Ceres of an English doglike creature called a fox. The creatures appeared to lack tails.

Two of the adult creatures were male while the other was female. One of the males was highly muscled, more so than Jupiter, and had chocolate brown fur with a white chest, the other male was less muscly with lighter brown fur and the female was reddish. The two smaller, younger creatures were a male and a female. The male youngster had brown fur while the female had pale orange fur with a white chest. All five of the creatures wore scornful and menacing glares on their faces as they pierced the macaws in front of them. The pelages of the three adults were slashed with hideous gashes of ugly skin, obviously scar tissue. These scars resembled talon claw wounds and an idea as to how these creatures had received them entered Jupiter's head, an idea that made him flinch. Jupiter then saw that the brown male's right eye was misty, indicating a damaged eyeball. Three small scars ran over his right eye while another, longer one ran over the left side of his face. The male's left brown eye, however, was fine and based on how he angled his face to gaze at the macaws; Jupiter assumed that he must be blind in his right eye. The female also had a scarred face and the two seemingly adolescent creatures had a few scars as well. The larger, chocolate brown, muscular male's pelage was practically crisscrossed with numerous scars, all shaped like avian talon claw marks. The two younger creatures, however, looked unmarked but one or two small scars ran over their faces or tummies, indicating that they haven't been in many fights yet. The scarred appearance of the three adults made the stomachs of some of the other macaws lurch and also frightened Desdemona and Lucy, making them whimper and cower into Aurelio's chest feathers. Reynaldo and Demetrio, however, wore thunderous faces.

"CICATRIZ, IRACEBETH!," barked the hyacinth macaw patriarch of the Bluewings, his navy feathers bushed out with hostility at the sight of the six flying foxes, "What are you, your body guard and your two children, Iago and Veruca, doing in our territory?"

"Hello, Demetrio," crooned the male bat that was blind in his right eye, Cicatriz, obnoxiously with a sickly-sweet tone, "We meet again."

Jupiter flinched in revulsion. 'What an inappropriate, childish way to respond to two angry macaw flock patriarchs,' he thought, 'especially if they are in a place they shouldn't be.'

"None of your stupidity, Cicatriz," snapped Cobalto hostilely, "Demetrio asked you a question: what are you doing in our land? You know this area is strictly forbidden to flying foxes."

Ceres said nothing for she was unnerved by the hideously scarred appearance of the two flying fox colony leaders and their bodyguard.

"And you have absolutely NO REASON to be snappy, blue and yellow jungle boar," snapped Iracebeth fierily, making Cobalto jerk his head back in disgusted shock. The flying fox matriarch certainly did sport a fiery temper. "Any more of your snappy tongue and I'll personally tear it right out of your disgusting beak!"

This venomous comment inflicted excruciating pain on Cobalto like that from a snakebite, much to Iracebeth's amusement. She clearly enjoyed taunting her feathered opponents. Zephyr, at this, opened his wings and threatened to fly at the flying fox to claw the sickeningly mocking smile from Iracebeth's face but Reynaldo restrained him. Cicatriz and Iracebeth's bodyguard and their children, Iago and Veruca, all giggled in amusement.

"Look, just answer my question," said Demetrio in a less hostile but still enraged voice, "What are you bats doing here?"

"You know you're not supposed to be in our patch," said Reynaldo. Venus, Mercury and Sapphire just said nothing and exchanged silent glances. Cicatriz just gazed at the blue-throated macaw clan patriarch with a bored look.

"Oh, aren't we?" he crooned sarcastically, "I'm sorry, I must have made a mistake." The mocking look then returned to his face. "Maybe we must have missed the feathered boundary marks."

"Missed them!?" snapped Reynaldo, "Look, the feather clusters that we had tied to the branches of the trees along our border are brightly coloured against the green leaves and brown bark and thus not easily missed. You should have been able to see them even from a distance close to your border nearest to ours."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth just said nothing, only replying with a silently mocking glare. Veruca and Iago then tittered again. The bodyguard also wore a snickering look, smirking as though the whole thing was funny. However, the macaws were not one bit amused.

"Don't you remember the truce your parents Bruto and Sombra made with the bird tribe and clan leaders when they led your colony before you two took over?" asked Sapphire boldly, "We made that truce that we birds wouldn't trespass on your land and you lot on ours. Then don't you realise that you're breaching it?"

"What truce?" asked Cicatriz nonchalantly. However, he and Iracebeth knew the truce full well but they pretended it didn't exist. Mercury and Venus could clearly see the nonchalant look in their eyes. 'They don't even care about that truce at all,' thought Mercury disgustedly. Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Aurelio, Wilbur, Azul, Fernanda and Ganymede just said nothing. Cicatriz's only functioning eye, his left one, then caught sighted Venus and Zephyr and then Jupiter and Ganymede. As it did, his smile widened and slightly opened so that his sharp teeth showed through his lips. Venus ducked behind Zephyr who gazed at the colony patriarch with a volcanic look on his face.

"And what have we here?" he crooned, "A pair of useless Spix varmints and two scarlet pests?"

"I thought that the Spix macaw tribe, along with the red and the Lear's macaw tribes, had been burned alive in that fire years and years ago," said Iracebeth. She snickered as she saw the offended look on Zephyr's face. Zephyr then began to storm towards the bats.

"You say another inappropriate comment about our tragic ordeal with those two fires again, you membrane- winged furball," he snarled, his green eyes like flames and his lush blue feathers bristled, "And I'll slash your face in and add more scars to your collection!"

And with that, he spread his wings and prepared to fly at Iracebeth who, in reply spread her large membrane-and-finger wings, a look of thunder on her face and her orange eyes ablaze with storms.

"Don't make me skin ya alive, you slimy, feathered waste of space," she snarled. Suddenly, a pair of large navy blue wings appeared behind Zephyr and hooked onto his wings. Zephyr cried in angry surprise as Demetrio picked him up and swung him half way so that he was behind the large hyacinth macaw.

"Don't you even think about it, you nitwit, and get that temper of yours under control, NOW!" hissed Demetrio sternly. Zephyr writhed in the hyacinth macaw's wings, desperate to free himself and give Iracebeth a piece of his mind. Enraged grunts escaped his beak as he struggled. Cicatriz then stepped forward, a threatening look on his face.

"Look, you feathered pests oughta watch your tempers, especially when you're around my mate Iracebeth here," he growled, a wing finger pointing straight at the macaws like an arrow, "She has a fiery temper as you can see." Iracebeth nodded harshly in agreement.

"And so do I," said Cicatriz, "And you'd better not get on our bad side or we'd be VEEEEEEERRRY angry, and you won't like us when we're angry."

The bodyguard, Veruca and Iago all tittered again. Demetrio shot an enraged look at the five bats a furious look as soon as he had Reynaldo and Cobalto restrain the burning and writhing Zephyr.

"Look, you five have been here long enough," he bellowed in his big voice which he used to call his clan's attention, stop a quarrel or to emphasize his points, "Now get out and return to your side this minute or I'LL DRIVE YOU OUT! And if I or any of the other birds EVER catch you ON OUR SIDE AGAIN, THERE'S GONNA BE DEEP TROUBLE AND I DO MEAN DEEP! IS THAT CLEAR!?"

Ceres, Cobalto, Aurelio, Fernanda, Azul and Wilbur, Jupiter, Ganymede, Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan and Zephyr and Venus all jumped out of their skins as Demetrio's booming voice coursed through their bodies, jolting their insides. Desdemona and Lucy then burst into tears, frightened by Demetrio's shouts. Ceres then decided to leave to calm them down. Cicatriz and Iracebeth, taken aback by Demetrio's furious shouts, looked at each other and then back at the hyacinth clan patriarch.

"Well, if you're gonna be like that, then we might as well leave," snarled Cicatriz. He then nodded to his bodyguard, Veruca and Iago and said, "Come on you three, Iracebeth, let's go."

The other four nodded in agreement and within moments, the five bats were airborne, their large membranous wings sweeping through the air. Cobalto smugly saw them leave.

"Wow, nice one, Demetrio," he said, "You really sent them flying. I thought they'd never leave."

Demetrio then turned to face Ceres but saw that she wasn't there. Then he caught sighted her in another tree in the distance, calming Desdemona and Lucy who wailed.

"Let's just get out of here, folks," said he. At this, the group opened their wings and took to the air. Ceres did the same and carried Desdemona and Lucy in her talons.

"I'm really sorry I've frightened your girls with my big voice, Ceres," said Demetrio apologetically, "But I just wanted to emphasize my message to those five stupid bats in case they didn't listen…"

"Look, it's okay," said Ceres, "But you didn't half scare them, though."

Demetrio sighed and gazed at the two young female chicks. They still cried but were calmer. As the group flew away, Cicatriz's voice flew through the trees and reached the macaws' ears.

"This isn't the last time you'll see us, you feathered vermin," shouted the flying fox patriarch at the top of his voice, "We will be making our appearances again and again in the coming days…"

"Ceres, can you take your daughters out of here as soon as possible, please?" said Demetrio in a low voice, barely able to contain his temper. Ceres nodded and accelerated ahead of the group while Demetrio turned round to retort at Cicatriz through the trees. The other macaws all flinched as Demetrio's explosive voice blasted through the trees in Cicatriz's direction.

"Good grief," shouted Jupiter, his talons clasping his ears, "He's like a foghorn."

"A foghorn?" asked Reynaldo in confusion.

"It's a booming device built by humans along coastal areas that warn ships and other ocean things of rocks and other hazards during foggy days," said Venus, "It emits an extremely loud and low hum that carries into the foggy seas."

"Interesting," said Reynaldo. Soon, the group was joined by Demetrio as they continued flying on.

"If you keep that up, your vocal cords are gonna wear out," said Jupiter as he flew alongside Ganymede.

"I'm sorry, you lot," said Demetrio, "But Cicatriz has been really naughty. I just hope he and his family and bodyguard have received my message well."

"Yeah, I hope so, too," muttered Zephyr, shooting a glance back through the trees, "The last thing we want is them lot frolicking around in our territory."

Demetrio and Reynaldo nodded in agreement. Then the group of macaws continued in the direction of the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans' home patch.

 **Four hours or so later**

Carla, Bia, Tiago and their cousin Kira flew through the trees with Ophiuchus, his mate Honeydew, and cousin Spock who rode on their bat-bird mounts. With them were Spyro, the oldest son of Andromeda and Eragon who bore metallic violet feathers with some metallic blue streaks strewn through his plumage, and his younger siblings Bellerophon and Pandora. Spyro had been the only surviving chick of his parents' first clutch. When he and his sibling had been close to hatching, a group of mischievous monkeys had raided Andromeda and Eragon's nest but the two archaeobirds had viciously driven them away, using their hook-like talons on their wing-like hind limbs to inflict scratches on them. However, after the monkeys had fled, Andromeda and Eragon had frantically searched through their ransacked nest. They had found Spyro's egg, unharmed and intact but the other egg had been found by Spock and Anakin at the foot of the large tree in which the archaeobird clan had settled, broken with eggshells and yolk scattered all over the floor, much to Andromeda and Eragon's heart-breaking disappointment. Since Spyro had hatched and had reached adolescence, the two had set to having another clutch later to give him siblings to play with, and Bellerophon and Pandora were born months later. Spyro was riding his bat-bird mount. He had just started riding the bat-birds and had succeeded in becoming friends with one in the Bat-Bird Tree where the bat-birds lived. When the archaeobirds in the clan became adolescents, they were taken to the Bat-Bird Tree so that they could befriend one of the bizarre flying reptiles and use them as mounts. Some archaeobirds, however, had opted against having a mount and were happier riding with those that had mounts and not owning one themselves. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira were taking Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Spock, Spyro, Bellerophon and Pandora on an outing to the green tribe's territory so that the latter two would be introduced to their green friends. As the four archaeobirds on their bat-bird mounts, Ophiuchus carrying Bellerophon and Pandora with him, followed the four Spix macaws, Carla examined the trees and saw flashes of green with red, blue and yellow markings.

"Looks like we're getting closer to the green tribe's home patch now," she said. The group passed by a group of adolescent great green and military macaws as they played their own mini form of soccer, laughing heartily while a great green and a military macaw talked in a tree, eating berries.

"The two species of green macaws look alike," said Spock as he examined the two talking macaws. "What's the difference between the two?"

"Great green or Buffon's macaws are larger than military macaws usually," said Bia, "Other than that, their appearances are almost identical."

"It's a bit like the similarities the scarlet and green-winged macaws share with each other," said Tiago, "They both have red feathers, blue or teal wings and tails, and often white face masks but their big difference is the wing contours. In scarlet macaws, they are yellow while in green-winged macaws they are green."

"Sheldon is a cross between a scarlet and a green-winged, isn't he?" asked Honeydew, "I've been told by Ganymede that some macaws sometimes hybridise and produce crossbreeds like how Sheldon's scarlet father and green-winged mother produced him."

"Falkor the milicinth macaw who lives on Flavio and Rudi's flocks' territory is also a hybrid," said Kira, "He's the son of a male hyacinth macaw and a female military macaw."

"Really?" said Honeydew in surprise, "So any species of macaws could produce offspring?"

"That's true in most cases," said Bia, "But you ought to see the offspring of a scarlet or green-winged macaw and a blue-and-gold macaw. The results are often colourful."

"It's possible that Mimas and Ganymede are going to become mates, isn't it?" asked Carla with a smile. "Those two are besotted with each other."

"Same with Oberon and Tethys," said Kira, "And Benjamin and Umbriel, and Enceladus and Trixie from Demetrio and Violeta's clan. We're gonna have some pretty interesting offspring if those guys pair up and have chicks, that's for sure."

The others all murmured in agreement. The group was approaching the outskirts of the green tribe's home patch when suddenly, Carla shouted, "Get down!"

At this, the macaws and the archaeobirds on their bat-bird mounts all dived into a large cluster of leaves and hid. Then Carla parted some of the green sheets with a wing and looked out. Bia, Kira and Tiago looked over her shoulder.

"What is it?" asked Spock in a low voice. Carla raised a wing to tell him to be quiet and pointed to what was in front of them.

"I'm TELLING you, RIGHT NOW, Cicatriz," snarled someone, "If I EVER catch your bats attacking MY tribe members, especially our chicks, I will claw your face in!"

Alonso's voice and he never sounded so angry. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira all gazed at the green tribe patriarch and were astonished at the look of thunder on his face. Behind Alonso was a group of great green and military macaws, some of which were chicks and adolescents and Carla managed to pick out Uranus, Miranda and Ariel. To their horror, they saw that the chicks, including Uranus and Esmeralda's youngest son Edmund, looked badly shaken and were crying frightened tears. Some of the macaws, including Miranda, bore some scratches and some of the other adult green macaws were treating their injuries. It appeared to be a class of chicks based on the presence of so many of them but whatever lesson was going on had been violently interrupted by the looks of things. Standing before the thunderous Alonso were a group of flying foxes with none other than Cicatriz standing in front of them. There were about eight flying foxes including the colony patriarch, and two were young pups.

"That's strange," said Bia, "I thought that colony leader would have returned to his side as yelled at by Demetrio a while ago but he's still roaming our area."

"They're seriously breaching the truce, honestly," muttered Carla. "I'm sure his parents wouldn't have wanted him to do this."

Kira and Tiago then felt a flash of outrage course through them when they saw the scornful looks on all eight of the bats' faces, including the two pups and a few dashes of green, blue and red in their foot claws, which were green macaw feathers. Based on the injuries on some of the adult green macaws, the shaken chicks and the feathers in the bats' foot claws, this could only mean one thing.

"You sure are feisty, aren't you, greenie?" crooned Cicatriz obnoxiously. Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Spock and Spyro took one look at the bats' scarred faces and winced in revulsion. Even the four bat-birds seemed to be spooked by the appearances of the bats, and Bellerophon and Pandora were hiding behind their large uncle's back, frightened by the bats' appearance. Ophiuchus especially winced at the clouded right eye of Cicatriz and the scars that ran over it as he shared a mocking snicker with his comrades by shooting a glance at them.

"How did that bat end up blind in one eye?" he asked.

"That's Cicatriz, the deranged leader of the flying fox colony," whispered Carla. She then stole a glance at Bellerophon and Pandora and inched closer to Ophiuchus's ear, "When Cicatriz was young; he had been in a violent fight with a parakeet or Amazon parrot. Whichever, I can't remember, but during the fight, that bird raked its claws over his right eye and damaged it. That explains why he has those scars running over said eye and why he sees out of his left eye only."

Ophiuchus flinched as he imagined this. Then Spock saw the other scars marking Cicatriz and the other bats' bodies.

"I find it too unfathomable to believe that those bats would actually fight birds in a one-on-one combat, much less drive out a bird tribe or clan," he said repulsed before gazing at the bats' membranous wings, "Especially with those wings at risk…"

"Damaged wings aren't uncommon in the colony, especially when they violently drive out a bird tribe or clan," said Bia. Her gaze then hardened. "But those bats don't just use their teeth and foot claws to attack birds. They use weapons as well."

"Weapons?" repeated Spyro in horror and surprise. "What sort of weapons?"

Before Tiago could explain, Alonso's furious voice pulled the group's attention back to the group of green macaws.

"GET OUT OF MY TERRITORY, NOW!" bellowed the green tribe patriarch, "AND DON'T EVER RETURN! IF YOU DO, I'M GONNA…" then a brutal threat exploded from Alonso's beak. Ophiuchus immediately covered Bellerophon and Pandora's ears to prevent the archaeobird chicks from listening to the music that was too mature for young ears to hear, and Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira all flinched. Then Cicatriz and his group, with a furious huff, turned round and opened their membranous wings and dropped into the air.

"Alright, if that's what you want, we'll return to our side then," snapped Cicatriz as he left with his comrades. "But I'm warnin' ya, this isn't the last you'll see of me, that's for sure."

And with that, he followed his seven comrades. Alonso then commanded the adults to take the chicks back to the green tribe's home patch. Then within moments, the flock was on the move, the injured carried and helped on the way.

"Well that was inconvenient," muttered Kira, "I'm not surprised at Alonso's outburst at those bats."

"Let's go," said Carla but then Ophiuchus's wing claws latched onto her wing. When she shot him a 'What is it?' look, Ophiuchus pointed to something in the distance. At this, the chubby Spix macaw followed his point and, to her horror, she saw the very same eight bats return to the spot where they had their confrontation with Alonso. Cicatriz, who hovered at the front, then began to talk with the other seven for a few moments, seemingly giving them instructions. After this along with the nods of seven heads, the eight bats flew further into the green tribe's territory, splitting up as they flew on.

"This isn't good," murmured Carla worriedly, "Those flying foxes have been intruding in our tribe's territory, and also that of the Lear's macaws and also those of Felipe, Rudi and Flavio, Demetrio and Reynaldo, and Soleado tribes and clans' territories, and now they're doing the same to the green tribe's territory? What's going on?"

"I don't know but I do not like this one bit," whispered Bia angrily.

"We have to let Alonso and his mate Verde know immediately," said Tiago.

"Alonso's gonna blow his top off when he hears about this," murmured Kira, dreading the green tribe's patriarch's reaction to Cicatriz's disobedience.

"They certainly are a pain, those bats, aren't they?" said Honeydew. Then Carla frowned. "Let's just go to the green tribe's home patch," she said and with that, she, the other three Spix macaws and the six archaeobirds on their four bat-bird mounts left the area and flew off in the direction of the green tribe's home patch.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- more intrusions**

Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Spock, Ophiuchus, Honeydew and Spyro and their bat-bird mounts, with Bellerophon and Pandora riding on Ophiuchus's back, approached the vicinity of the green tribe's patch of home trees. Dozens and dozens of flashes of blue, yellow and red decorated the trees surrounding the outskirts of the green tribe's home patch indicated the presence of more great green and military macaws. However, their green plumages were quite hard to see against the green clusters of leaves, and some of the trees were decorated with colourful flowers. However, the decorations of extra colours were not as extensive as that in the Lear's tribe's territory. Ophiuchus and Honeydew remembered visiting the Lear's tribe in their ravine with Andromeda and Eragon and some other archaeobirds and seeing the carpet of colour from so many flowers of different types smothering much of the floor on either side of the shallow river that ran through the ravine like a silvery snake. It was like a tropical rainforest in miniature crossed with a secret paradise land, especially as more flowers decorated the trees. The Lear's macaw tribe had a love for colour that they even used flowers as part of their body décor during their tribe dance as well as decorations for their homes. The green tribe, while they also loved colour, did not like it to the same extent as the Lear's macaws and preferred their home patch be decorated with fewer flowers.

Within seconds, the group entered the trees of the green tribe's home patch and perched into a large tree with such thick leaves that it cloaked the inside of its branches to shadow. The four Spix macaws and six archaeobirds with their four bat-birds landed here and then Carla parted some leaves to look out into the green tribe's home patch. Bia, Tiago and Kira also found a spot of their own and peered out from the leaves. The four Spix macaws saw the same class group and Alonso fly towards Alonso and Verde's tree and touch down. Verde, along with her and Alonso's two now young-adult offspring, Lima and Martese, the latter who had a girlfriend, flew towards the class group when they saw them, alarmed looks on their faces. Alonso himself looked stressed as he helped two of the inured macaws including Miranda settle onto the branch. He was trembling with immense rage, both at Cicatriz and his bats' intrusion into his tribe's territory and their unprovoked attack on the class of chicks. Kira narrowed her eyes at Miranda's injuries to better take them in.

"She certainly looked like she had put up a good fight with one of those bats," she said in a low voice, "I can see that she's got a nasty scratch down her side. Her face is also twisted in pain."

"Look, there's Esmeralda with Titania, Umbriel and Oberon," said Tiago as he saw a few more green macaws, among them the said four, rush in towards the shaken class. Esmeralda and the three siblings of Ariel and Miranda wore horrified and alarmed looks on their faces when they saw Uranus, Ariel, Edmund and Miranda, especially the latter two who were extremely frightened and, in Miranda's case, injured. Nearby, Verde was talking with Alonso while Martese and his girlfriend helped the tribe nurses care for the injured macaws and Lima helped see to the chicks.

"I'm not surprised that Alonso is still enraged at those bats for attacking that class," said Ophiuchus with an understanding frown, "Especially without provocation. I'd have been outraged as well if I was among them."

"Cicatriz and his bats have no right to intrude into our land in the first place anyway," muttered Carla angrily, "Much less attack birds, especially innocent chicks. But why are they intruding into our land despite the truce, anyway?"

"That's what I would like to find out," said Bia. However, the group of Spix macaws, archaeobirds and bat-birds were unaware that a group was sneaking up on them from behind. Behind the group, six macaws, all either great green or military, their eyes gleaming in the shadow and with suspicious rage, crept up on them. Their feathers were bristled and hisses were slowly filtering through their beaks. Then Spock heard something; his head rose while his body stiffened.

"What is it, Spock?" asked Carla. Spock raised a wing-claw to tell her to be quiet and began to slowly turn his head to behind the group. Seconds later, surprised screeches, four Spix, four archaeobird and four bat-bird, exploded into the air, alerting the class, Alonso and his family into shooting surprised gazes in their owners' direction as four blue macaws, four four-winged metallic feathered creatures, one with two smaller creatures on his back, and four bat-birds fell out of the tree and slammed front-first onto another large branch. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, and Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Spock, Spyro, Bellerophon and Pandora and the four bat-birds, taken by surprise by a group of six green macaws, two military and the other four great green who had shoved them out of the tree, then began to shake themselves to but they were pinned down by six green forms with yellow, blue and red markings.

"Gotchya, you pesky winged furballs," snarled one of the macaws, the male military into Carla's face as he had her pinned by the neck, much to her surprise. The other five especially apprehended the bat-birds and the others. Carla shot the male military a glare.

"Ash, what are you DOING!?" she barked, writhing under the male military macaws; talon. At this, Uranus's shouts reached the six macaws.

"Whoa, Ash, Drake, Amelia, the rest of you," he called, "It's alright. They're not flying foxes. They're friends."

At this, the six macaws looked up at Uranus who flew over to them with Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon by his sides, and then gazed at Carla and company, especially Ophiuchus and his companions with apologetic looks and stepped off of them so that they could rise to their feet.

"Oh, we're ever so sorry, you lot," said Drake as he helped Bia, Tiago and Kira up, "We thought you were some of those pesky bats roaming our territory."

Amelia then gazed at the four bat-birds and said, "Especially those four, Ophiuchus. However, they did look a bit too birdlike to be flying foxes in the shadows of that tree."

"But we were so overcome with suspicion that we didn't have a second thought," said Ash.

As Uranus and Ariel went to help the archaeobirds, one of the green macaws holding Bellerophon and Pandora as they whimpered with confusion from the fright while Ophiuchus, Spock, Spyro and Honeydew brushed themselves down, Carla shot Amelia and Ash a surprised look.

"You've got those pesky bats flying about in your territory too?" she asked.

"I-I-I thought Alonso's confrontation with Cicatriz and his gang that we've witnessed on the way here was just a simple one-off," said Bia. Ash, Amelia and Drake shook their heads.

"No," said Drake, "There are around half a dozen more groups of trespassing flying foxes roaming in different parts of our territory. That was just one of them."

Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira then gazed at the class group as Uranus then explained the situation.

"We were out on an outing with those chicks for a nature class," he said, gesturing to the group, "Alonso was with us for his and Verde's younger daughter, Joana, was among that group of chicks. However, while Miranda was talking to the chicks about some butterflies, that group of flying foxes suddenly jumped out at us and attacked us, throwing everything into chaos."

"It was _anarchy_ , honestly," muttered Ariel, "Chicks were scattering everywhere and everyone was flying around trying to stop them from wandering too far from the group and getting lost while fending off the flying foxes at the same time. However, some of us faced some pretty horrible attacks."

"Miranda was badly scratched by Cicatriz, the leader, while she was trying to protect Edmund, Joana and three other chicks," said Umbriel. At this, Carla and the others gazed at Miranda and saw three claw marks streaking her torso. A tribe nurse was cleaning it of blood with soaked moss and tending to it but Miranda looked in pain, her face twisted and her body twitching as the moss dabbed at the painful marks, obviously the result of a flying fox's foot claws raking her skin. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira could not believe that the deranged bat colony patriarch would go for one of Uranus and Esmeralda's daughters, but a flash of utter outrage ruptured their disbelief.

"We did see Alonso yell at the top of his voice at those bats," said Ophiuchus.

"I'm not surprised," growled Uranus angrily, outrage still burning in his green eyes, "I can't believe the _audacity_ those bats _had_ in jumping out at us, especially when we've got chicks by our side."

"Not only are they in breach of the truce," said Amelia, "But they're also starting to attack birds and steal food from our territory as well. If this continues, there will be trouble."

Just then, Alonso flew in and perched beside Uranus, his eyes fixed on Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira.

"Hi, you four," he said, "What brings you here?"

Carla nodded to Ophiuchus and company and said, "We're visiting you with those guys as they want to introduce Andromeda and Eragon's two new chicks to some of our green friends."

At this, Bellerophon and Pandora struggled on Ophiuchus's back and peered around his neck. Ophiuchus smiled and nuzzled them with his beak.

"They're my brother and sister," said Spyro proudly, "Obviously; I'm the only surviving chick of Mom and Dad's first brood which had two eggs but during a monkey invasion, my sibling's egg had been smashed so Mom and Dad had had another clutch of two eggs and here they are."

"Cousins Eragon and Andromeda wanted to give Spyro some siblings," said Spock. When Alonso's eyes landed on the two young chicks squirming on Ophiuchus's back, alarm set into his face, much to the surprise of Carla and company.

"Those two should be back with their clan, NOW," said Alonso gruffly, a wing pointing to Spyro's young brother and sister.

"Especially those four bat-birds," said Uranus.

"Why?" asked Carla.

"There are flying foxes afoot in our territory," said Ariel, "And if any of them see those archaeobirds and their bat-bird mounts," she nodded to a surprised Ophiuchus and company, "Trouble for Andromeda's clan might begin."

"The other tribes and clans as well as the smaller bird groups," said Ash, "Are already having plenty of trouble from those pesky trespassing furballs with wings, and the last thing we want is any of them entering Andromeda's clan's territory."

"Especially since they can only glide and not fly like us macaws," said Umbriel.

"Not to mention young chicks," put in Titania, her eyes on Bellerophon and Pandora. Then Honeydew found an opportunity to tell Alonso about Cicatriz and his gang. He had to know about it right now.

"Um… speaking of those flying foxes, sir," she said to Alonso, "You know that confrontation you had with that bat who is blind in his right eye?"

"Yes, you mean Cicatriz," growled Alonso, the flames of rage still burning inside him, "What about him?"

Honeydew then nodded to Bia to explain. She did not like flaring tempers.

"Well, after you harshly told them to leave your territory and they had flown away," she said, "They only returned to the same spot where your confrontation with them took place."

"That scar-faced bat then discussed with the other seven bats and then they flew on into your territory without hesitation," said Ophiuchus. He still winced in revulsion at Cicatriz's blind eye and the scars slashing through the bats' pelages. He remembered his father Talonclaw bearing three large scars on his side, the result of a predatory bat-bird attacking him but he did not provoke the dangerous pterosaur into giving them to him, whereas the bats had earned their scars through deliberate fights with birds. When Alonso's brain absorbed the information from Honeydew, Carla and Ophiuchus's beaks, his flames of temper explosively grew larger again. Some of Carla's group members flinched as the green tribe patriarch's temper briefly got the better of him and Bellerophon and Pandora hid behind Ophiuchus's back.

"They've WHAT!?" bellowed Alonso furiously, "THOSE BATS HONESTLY HAVE BLOCKED EARS!"

And with that, he stormed off to send off a patrol group to deal with Cicatriz's group, leaving a dumbfounded Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, Ophiuchus, Spock, Honeydew and Spyro gazing on.

"Don't worry, you've done nothing wrong," said Uranus to the Spix macaws, much to their relief, "It's just that those bats are too stubborn to listen to our warnings to get out of our territories…" his green eyes then travelled to Ophiuchus and company, "Now about those archaeobirds and their bat-birds you've brought along…"

 **A while later**

Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Ophiuchus (with Bellerophon and Pandora on his back), Spock, Spyro and Honeydew riding on their bat-birds, were flying through the green tribe's territory in the direction of the Spix tribe's territory. With them were Drake, Esmeralda, Oberon and the twin-like brothers Lewin and Luis who were escorting them. Esmeralda had volunteered to take Carla and company back and Drake, Oberon Luis and Lewin had volunteered to help. As the group flew through the trees of Alonso's tribe's territory, Ophiuchus wore a disappointed look.

"I'm a bit taken aback by your mate's facial look about us, Esmeralda," he murmured.

"He's only being serious about the potential danger you, your nephews and niece, mate, cousin and bat-birds are in with these stupid bats wandering around in our territory," said Esmeralda.

"But you've done nothing wrong," said Drake.

"We didn't know…" murmured Carla. Kira, however, wore an angered face.

"Those flying foxes sure like to cause a lot of inconvenience for everybody don't they?" she growled, "Especially after what Cicatriz and seven of his minions had done to that class group."

"They must have had at least two dozen chicks or more," said Tiago. Luis shot him a glare.

"That's what those bats like doing, T," he said in a low and dark voice, "They like to attack birds, whether they are chicks, elderly or not. They're barbaric furballs, that lot."

Then Spock gazed at him and his twin-like brother. "Would those bats see us archaeobirds as vermin as well?" he asked.

"I don't know but I don't want to find out," said Esmeralda, "That's why we want you lot back in the safety of your clan where those bats have little chance of attacking you."

A thunderous look then crossed Ophiuchus's face. "Well if they see us as mere vermin or something like that," he growled, "Our negative reaction will not be shallow, that's for sure."

"Especially if we haven't done anything wrong to provoke them," added Honeydew in agreement. She stole a glance from behind at Oberon. "But to hear that group of bats set upon that class of green macaws without provocation is disgusting, I think."

"Miranda got pretty much the brunt of that deranged colony patriarch's insanity when she tried to protect some chicks including Edmund and Alonso and Verde's youngest daughter Joana," said Oberon in a low voice, "He literally slashed her across the front with his foot claws without hesitation. Luckily the wound isn't too serious."

"But next time, it might be a different story since Cicatriz is sometimes violent," said Lewis. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira didn't reply and Bia winced as she thought of Miranda receiving those claw marks from Cicatriz. Then suddenly, Esmeralda's voice snapped her back to reality.

"HIDE!" she shouted and with that, the group dived into a nearby tree like green with red, blue and yellow marks, purely cerulean or blue, or metallic blue and reddish or brown comets. Then Esmeralda peered out from a cluster of leaves, staring at what she had spotted. Carla and Bia wriggled up beside her. Before they could ask, they saw what the great green macaw saw. Hovering or perched before the group in hiding was another group of flying foxes. The group had about seven. Five were adults while two were youngsters, an adolescent and a pup. Like every other flying fox, they had brown, reddish or pale orange fur but one of the young bats, the adolescent, had white fur and its wings were greyish, like those of Nigel's feathers. Bia deduced that this flying fox was an albino since it also had pinkish eyeballs. Four of the seven bats had scars crisscrossing their pelages and the bat hovering before the ones perched, a reddish female, looked hideous as she bore more scars than the others did. The other three, the albino adolescent, the pup and one of the adult males who had brown fur with a white patch on his torso, looked unmarked. Then Oberon, Tiago and Kira gazed at the brown male and the white adolescent bat, which was also a male and noticed a difference in their facial expressions from the other five. The other five bats, including the reddish female, brimmed wickedly with scheming faces but the white adolescent and the brown male looked uncertain and timid. Their eyes flickered this way and that, as though they wanted to fly away. They were clearly not listening to the reddish female's instructions as she hovered before them.

"That's strange," said Tiago in a low voice with a confused frown, "Those two bats look afraid."

"Who's that reddish bat hovering before those six?" asked Spock.

"That's Iracebeth, Cicatriz's mate," said Drake with a distasteful frown. He clearly did not like the reddish female bat one bit. "She's just as deranged as her mate."

"Looks like she's been in quite a number of fights," said Honeydew as she examined Iracebeth's scars.

"With birds, yes," said Lewin, "She's a real beast with a personality of a fearsome huntress. I've heard that she took on a female harpy eagle single-winged once and killed it."

Shock tore through Carla's group, especially the archaeobirds.

"Really?" asked Carla.

"That's like how we took on that harpy eagle in Guyana during our trip to find Jurassic Jungle," said Bia, "Only we took on it as a group rather than alone."

"That sounds too farfetched," muttered Spock with disbelieving eyes. The archaeobirds had been told about harpy eagles and how they were the most dangerous aerial predator known to the bird groups. They were dangerous even to hyacinth macaws and the flying foxes and only a few have actually fought one. But it appeared that Iracebeth had managed to tackle one by herself and slay it. Iracebeth certainly was fierce but she was also a bat to avoid. Rumour had it that she was highly skilled in close combat, even able to subdue a hyacinth macaw in minutes. Then Esmeralda saw Iracebeth and her group take off from the branch and fly away in the direction of the Lear's tribe's territory. However, something strange happened. The unmarked adult brown male and the white adolescent flew slower than the other five. Their eyes darted this way and that, as though they expected a patrol group from Alonso's tribe to jump out at them. Carla then saw the look in the two males' eyes.

"Those two bats look incredibly hesitant and fearful indeed," she whispered.

"That is very unusual," said Drake. It was clear that there was something different about these two bats, but it was not just in their facial look but in their behaviour as well. Based on how they hovered, they looked hesitant.

"If my calculations are correct," whispered Bia as the two bats then began to talk with each other, "I'd say there is about 99 percent chance that those two bats are wary that they and their colony-mates are doing wrong."

"They're doing wrong alright," muttered Esmeralda disgustedly, "Trespassing into our territory despite the truce we made between us and Cicatriz and Augustus's parents, Bruto and Sombra, years and years ago when they led the colony."

Just then, a female voice shouted, jolting the two bats into looking in the speaker's direction. The macaws and archaeobirds turned and saw a scarred reddish female bat hover in the distance, her eyes fixed on the two bats.

"Come on, Augustus and Sebastian, we haven't got all day," shouted the reddish bat, "Let's leave here before any of those green varmints with blue, red and yellow wings and markings show up. I wanna see more of the neighbouring macaw tribe's territory."

At this, the two male bats began to follow the reddish female. However, their flight was slow, obviously weighed down by reluctance. Spock mouthed the last sentence of the reddish bat, before a suspicious look crossed his face.

"Those two bats look very hesitant in flying off to Waldo and Monique's tribe's territory," said Tiago. Within moments, the two bats followed the reddish female and disappeared into the trees, but not without gazing back timidly on the way.

"It's obvious that they're planning something," said Spock in a low voice. An idea then came into his head but it was one that he didn't like. As soon as the coast was clear, the group was on the move again.

A while later the group arrived at the Spix/green border. As the group of archaeobirds, Spix macaws, green macaws and bat-birds approached said border, they were greeted by two blue forms who wore flustered looks on their faces.

"Carla, Bia, Tiago," gasped one of them with the unmistakable set of head feathers, "Kira, there you are!"

"You need to take those archaeobirds and bat-birds back to their territory now," said the other, his eyes gazing at Ophiuchus and company. The group perched before the two Spix macaws which were Zephyr and Roberto.

"I'm so glad you've come to our border to take these lot back," said Esmeralda with relief, "And just in time as well."

"Our territory's become more and more infested with those pesky flying foxes," said Lewin.

"So is ours," said Zephyr, "We've had three reports of flying foxes trespassing in our territory today as well."

"They're all over the place," said Roberto in a shaky voice, "And we've had a report from a patrol of hyacinth macaws from Flavio's clan of a group of those pesky bats flying into Andromeda's clan's territory as well."

When Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Spyro and Spock's ears picked this up, dread came over them. However, they prepared to depart with Carla, her two siblings and cousin and head back there. Turning to the green macaws, Carla said, "Thanks for escorting us. We're sorry about our lack of awareness of the situation."

"It's okay," said Esmeralda, "You just heads back to your ravine and get these archaeobirds back home as soon as possible."

"We'll see you another time," said Oberon and with that, he hugged Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira and then Ophiuchus, Bellerophon and Pandora. "It was nice of you to bring Bellerophon and Pandora along to see us but it's not safe with these pesky bats around."

"Those bats are causing a lot of inconvenience for everyone, anyway," muttered Kira as Oberon broke the hug with Ophiuchus.

"I couldn't agree more to that," said Drake. Then as soon as Carla's group was ready and Roberto and Zephyr had thanked Esmeralda and her son and friends for escorting Carla's group back to the border, the two groups parted ways, the former returning to the green tribe's home patch and the latter to the Spix tribe's ravine and from there, the archaeobird clan's territory. However, as the group flew along, Ophiuchus, Spyro, Spock and Honeydew felt worry and concern splash over them, especially about the report of that group of flying foxes flying into their clan's territory. They hoped that those bats did not spot any of their clan members or their bat-birds.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9- the game between the red and green tribes starts, a prank on Roberto and something afoot in Andromeda's clan's territory**

 **Two days later**

The Pit of Games air was crackling with the cheering of macaw squawks, like how it had been during the game between the Spix and the Lear's macaws two days earlier. Half of the stands were red while the other half was green. The green and red macaw tribes had seated themselves and were screeching in excitement at the game about to unfold. Among the red crowd were Ruby, Io, Ganymede, Europa and Amalthea and Oliver as well as Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Gabrielle. The friends of the two families, among them Dani, the green-winged macaw mate of Ramon and Sheldon's mother, sat around them. The macaws that were absent were Callisto, Jupiter, Sheldon and his scarlet dad Ramon, Byron, Estelle, Alexandre, Athos and Mars for they were going to play as part of the red tribe's team. It will be some of the macaws' debut in the games, especially for Jupiter, Mars, Alexandre and Callisto. Athos, Byron, Sheldon and Estelle had played once before in a friendly match with the Spix macaws and Ramon had been part of the Pit of Games team for years. Sat at the front of the red tribe were Pearl, Regina and Alfonso. Felipe and Benjamin were also in the team, ready to play.

In the green crowd, Esmeralda, Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Titania, Oberon, Edmund and Ash sat. Umbriel and Aramis were going to play as part of the green team as well. Miranda was also part of the team. However, due to her injury she had received from Cicatriz two days earlier, she was not able to play for the tribe nurses had recommended against her playing soccer until her scratches, which had healed up but were still a set of crusty red-pink streaks running across her torso, had fully healed as any accident in the stadium could reopen the wounds and cause bleeding. Miranda had been very disappointed by this but Aramis had promised her to do his best in the team, regardless of whether the greens won or lost against the reds. The green and red tribes continued to cheer as the tapir narrator and the porcupine commentator then took their stand to narrate the game.

"Good morning, red and green macaws," shouted the tapir in his big voice that echoed around the stadium air, "Welcome to the game of green team vs the red team!"

"That's right," said then porcupine, "The game will run on a best of seven…"

In the score-marker hole, Amelia and Cherie stood, a pile of Brazil nut shells lying before them, ready for the game to begin. In the stadium air, red streaks with blue and green or yellow wings and green streaks with blue, red and yellow markings and wings swooped through the air as the team players entered the stadium. The goalies flew over to the arch-goals and took up their positions. Cherie smiled as she watched the opposing teams prepare for the game. However, Amelia looked troubled.

"Are you alright, Amelia?" asked Cherie when she saw the worried look on the great green score-marker's face. Amelia snapped her gaze to the scarlet score-marker.

"Oh, I'm fine," she said, rubbing her face with a talon, "Just a bit… troubled by what had happened to that class of chicks a couple of days ago. Not to mention the continuous intrusions of those pesky bats."

"Oh, we've had trespassing bats roaming our territory as well," muttered Cherie irritably, "Felipe has assigned some patrol groups to stay behind and keep an eye on our territory until we return from our match against you greens."

"So has Alonso, but he had been on edge throughout the past two days since the incident with Cicatriz and some of his bats attacking that class," said Amelia. Suddenly, the two score-markers heard the tapir announce the beginning of the game.

"Oh, the game's about to start," said Cherie, "Let's prepare to count our team's goals."

Amelia took up her position, forgetting the flying fox situation, as the team captains, Felipe of the reds and Lewin of the greens, took their stand on the central rock column. As Felipe smiled cheekily to Lewin who gigged, the red macaws prepared for action.

"Hey, Benjamin, I know you and Umbriel are boyfriend and girlfriend," said Callisto, "But don't allow hesitation to get the better of you."

"Obviously not," said Benjamin with a smile, "If you're focussed on winning the game, I know how tough you have to be sometimes. I'm not going to go easy on _any_ of the green macaws and yet not too hard on them or we'd have accidents occurring."

Jupiter, Mars and Alexandre hovered with Sheldon, Ramon and Athos, prepared for action as well. Then a bare-faced curassow, the referee, flew in with the coin toss bird.

"Would you like to be heads or tails, Felipe?" asked Lewin.

"I've selected heads," said Felipe, "We're gonna win this, like I've said."

"We'll see about that," replied Lewin playfully, amused at Felipe's rhyming talk.

"Ready?" said the curassow referee.

"Heads," said Felipe.

"Tails," said Lewin. At this, the curassow tossed the coin toss bird who went spinning in the air and landed on the rock between the captains with her head up, signifying heads. The referee then withdrew the coin toss bird and set down the fruit shell ball. After she had left, Felipe's talon swiped the ball and the game was off to the cheers of the green and red tribes and the shouts of the tapir and porcupine narrators. Felipe passed the ball to Benjamin who then began to dribble the ball, green macaws in hot pursuit. Umbriel grinned.

"I'm not going too easy on Benjamin or Callisto or any of my red friends in this," she crooned and with that, she rocketed after her scarlet boyfriend and began to try and take the ball from him. Benjamin, however, shot the ball to Mario who then passed it to Jupiter. As Jupiter began to dribble the ball to the narration of the tapir Ruby, Europa, Ganymede and Io, and Oliver and Amalthea all cheered.

"Yay, go, DAD!" shouted Callisto's three same-brood siblings.

"Fly for it, Jupiter," cried Ruby. Oliver and Amalthea who sat in her wings also cheered. Jupiter continued flying this way and that as green macaws rocketed in to take the ball and then shot it to Mars. Mars then kicked the ball to the goal where Nalda, the green team's goalie was. However, Nalda caught the ball as it flew towards the goal, much to Mars's mock frustrating groans.

"OOOHH, that was close," bellowed the tapir.

"But Nalda saved Mars's shoot," said the porcupine. Nalda then tossed the ball back into the stadium and Aramis caught it. Aramis then began to speedily and agilely dart around the red macaws as they flew in to tackle him.

"Aramis is an extremely agile macaw according to Athos," said Phobos.

"He's possibly one of the more challenging opponents to contend with," said Deimos. In the green tribe's crowd, Esmeralda, who held Edmund, smiled as Aramis continued dodging his red opponents.

"He certainly is good," murmured Miranda in awe.

"He's gonna be quite a formidable opponent for Roberto when the greens go against the Spix macaws," said Uranus with a smile.

"Aramis is skilled with speed and agility," said Oberon, "But Roberto is more of a quick-thinker and planner, much like Callisto, and also Felipe."

"All part of playing soccer," said Ash with a smile.

"Yep," said Titania. The others nodded in agreement. Aramis then shot the ball to Umbriel who then began to dribble the ball towards the goal where the red goalie, a male green-winged macaw named Chico hovered, poised to save the ball. Umbriel continued dribbling the ball and passed it to Luis, Lewin's twin brother who then took over. He hastily dribbled the ball towards the goal where Chico waited and shot the ball at the goal, but Chico saved it.

"Whoa, he must have been so well prepared for that," said Luis as he saw Chico prepare to throw the ball back into the stadium. The curassow referee then screeched a whistle as green and red macaws gathered around Chico as he held the ball. Then as soon as he had tossed the ball into the stadium, Callisto took it and began to agilely dribble the ball, green macaws in hot pursuit and her teammates gathering around her, ready to receive the ball. As the scarlet macaw agilely flew through, around, over and under the green macaw opponents, Aramis was shocked at her agility.

"She's like the Spix team's Roberto," he whispered. He then flew after her to try and tackle her. The game between the green and the red macaws then continued.

 **The Spix tribe's ravine**

While the game between the red and green tribes continued in the Pit of Games, in the Spix tribe's ravine, the Spix macaws went about their daily business. Roberto was relaxing by the shore of the ravine pool on his back, his wings behind his head and his mop-like head feathers in his face, intended to keep out the sun. Around him, several young Spix macaws, young adults and adolescents, were up to their usual activities while chicks played. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira were with their friends, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Tyler, Ricardo, Turquesa, Músculo, Garrett and Aurora were among a small rockery, talking amongst themselves. Aurora observed some chicks as they tossed themselves onto the lilypads and surfed on them, her chin on her wings and her upper body leaning on a rock. She sighed as she watched the chicks giggle as they surfed on the giant slabs of green plant material.

"You remember doing that a lot when we were kids don't you?" came Tyler's voice. Aurora, at this, turned and looked at him as he walked up to her and sat beside her.

"Oh, um… yes, I do," she nervously replied. "It seems like a long time ago."

However, Aurora had something else tinting in her eyes as she gazed at the chicks as they played. "But when I have chicks of my own," she said dreamily, "I would love to see them surf on the lilypads like how we did…"

She then breathed a disappointed sigh, Tyler looking on. It was obvious that Aurora wanted chicks of her own someday, but she had never really thought about it much. While Aurora and Tyler continued gazing at the chicks as they surfed on the lilypads, the rest of the group continued to chat.

"I've heard what had happened to Miranda over in the green tribe's territory the other day," said Jojo, "Those flying foxes honestly are a pain."

"Yeah, you should have seen the scratches Miranda had on her side," said Carla, "The bat colony patriarch was the one who gave her those while she was protecting some of the chicks."

"That horrible Cicatriz is still roaming our side despite Demetrio's command to get out of our land based on Dad's account?" asked Justin surprised, "He and his bats are honestly stubborn."

Charlotte and Músculo then flashed a look of concern each.

"Well, I hope the green tribe's territory is okay while its occupants are in the Pit of Games with the reds," said Charlotte, "If they've got those flying foxes constantly trespassing in their territory, they're gonna need help from their neighbours to keep an eye on it and the flying foxes while they have their game."

"Same with Felipe's tribe," said Músculo.

"Mom and Dad already have that sorted," said Bia, "They've sent some patrol groups over there to help the green and red patrols to keep an eye on the territories."

"These reports of flying fox intrusions has been going on for three days now," murmured Matilda.

"Well, of those bats don't stop their trespassing," said Tiago angrily, "Then there will be trouble."

"But why are they trespassing in our land, anyway?" asked Virgil. The others shrugged their shoulders.

"I don't know," said Carla, "But I hope they're not planning anything serious. If they are, our tribe elders and those of our neighbours will not hesitate to be prepared for it."

"It doesn't make any sense actually," said Ricardo who sat with Jojo, Lavender and Felix. "After all this time, those bats just show up at the border of the blue-and-gold tribe's territory and then start intruding? It is obvious that something is going on."

"Especially with the likes of that horrible Cicatriz and his deranged mate showing their scarred faces around our land," put in Kira. Then something else came to her. "But during our flight back to our area with Ophiuchus and the others with him under the escort of some of the green macaws, we did see two of the bats behave strangely."

"What do you mean?" asked Felix. Kira then frowned as she thought.

"Those two…" she began as she searched through her memory, "It were a brown adult male and a younger male with white fur and…" Kira's face twisted into one of puzzlement, "they seemed… aware of what they and their colony-mates were doing… was wrong…"

"Oh, yeah, I remember that," said Carla. The image of those two bats behaving differently to the other bats also flashed in Bia and Tiago's minds as they replayed what they had seen with Ophiuchus, Spyro, Spock, Honeydew, Bellerophon and Pandora and their four bat-birds the other day while they were being escorted back to the Spix tribe's territory by some green macaws including Esmeralda.

"Are you meaning to say that there are some flying foxes who are concerned with the action of their colony-mates and their trespassing in our land?" asked Lavender.

"But how can that be?" asked Matilda.

"I don't know, we just saw them, okay?" said Kira slightly irritably. She then stood up and looked in the opposite direction. "It was as though…" she then turned round and faced the other macaws, "It was as though those two bats know that their colony is going to be in serious trouble for breaking the truce our tribes and other bird groups made with the bat colony not to intrude into either's territories years ago."

"Look, let's leave that to the wiser birds of our tribes, clans and groups," said Garrett firmly, "They have a better understanding of territory boundaries and whatnot. It is not the sort of thing we should be concerned about since we are not part of the higher ranks."

"They'll know better than us, anyway," said Turquesa.

"As well as deal with the flying fox situation better than the rest of us," said Lavender, "Our main duty is really to report to our leaders of any suspicious flying fox activity and leave it to them to sort it out."

The others nodded in agreement. While Carla's group continued chatting, Roberto continued lying on his back, relishing the warm rays from the sun that bathed him. However, he was in for a shock. Not too far away, four young macaw chicks, one a cerulean male with brown eyes, a second a darker blue female with teal eyes, a third another male that looked like a cerulean version of his father Roberto and the fourth a blue female with features no different from her mother Brisa and her uncle Zephyr's crept up to a large rock where some of Carla and company's friends, Turquesa and Felix, sat. The four chicks were armed with a Brazil nut shell filled with water they had scooped up from the ravine pool. As the quartet then hid behind the rock, their eyes on the relaxing Roberto with his face covered by his head feathers like a mop, the blue brown-eyed female began to question the process.

"Seriously, Luke, Chilro and Ophelia," she murmured uncertainly, "Are you sure about this? I don't think Uncle Beto is gonna…"

"Don't worry, Linda," said Luke, his beak stretched into a mischievous smile, "All we're gonna do is douse Uncle Beto with this chilly water for a laugh."

"Yeah, just wait until you see Dad's reaction," squeaked Ophelia mischievously. Chilro also nodded in agreement. Linda, the blue female chick with brown eyes, sighed and went along with the other three, her brother Luke and the two second-brood chicks of Roberto and Brisa, Chilro and Ophelia.

Linda and Luke were Carla, Bia and Tiago's younger brother and sister and the second brood of Blu and Jewel while Ophelia and Chilro were Jojo, Felix and Lavender's younger siblings, the two younger cousins of Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and their younger siblings Azurite and Aquamarine and Roberto and Brisa's second brood. The four were normally playful chicks but they also had a streak of mischief in their personality as well, similar to Tiago and Matilda when they were chicks. Aquamarine and Azurite, however, were more shy and preferred to avoid pranks. However, they watched from a distance with some other chicks their age, amused smiles on their beaks as Linda, Luke, Ophelia and Chilro began to tiptoe towards the snoozing Roberto, being careful not to wake him up and making sure that he was still asleep. A quick escape of breath stopped the two in their tracks, making them pause briefly but they soon resumed their sneak. The water in the Brazil nut shell sloshed slightly, some of the drips flying gently out of the sides as its container was rocked somewhat by the container's holders. While the quartet continued sneaking up on Roberto, Aurora and Tyler's eyes noticed them. At this, the couple quietly alerted their friends, drawing their attention to them. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Ricardo, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, and Garrett, Músculo and Turquesa all gazed at the two macaws but then Aurora nodded to Linda and Luke. When they, especially Jojo, Felix and Lavender, saw what the four young chicks were going to do to Roberto, they immediately stood up and were about to run over to the four but Luke shot the three a gaze. Luke, a mischievous smile on his beak, raised a wing feather to his beak and gestured to the three to be quiet. Jojo, Felix and Lavender, at this, shot Carla and the others an uncertain look but they quietly told them not to interfere.

"Don't forget you three were like that sometimes when you were chicks," whispered Tiago.

"As were we," said Matilda, "You once painted Uncle Beto's face and head feathers with berry and pollen juice while he was asleep."

Jojo, Felix and Lavender, at this, reluctantly sat down. When they had been chicks, they had been mischievous too and had played one or two pranks. One prank involved smearing Roberto's face and head feathers with red fruit paint and yellow pollen paint, the same paint the Spix tribe used in decorating their faces and wingtips (in the females) for the 'Beautiful Creatures' dance, while he slept. Red paint had been put on first before spots of yellow paint followed. When Roberto woke up and found that he was being either laughed at or had gawking faces shooting at him, he looked at his reflection in a puddle and saw, to his utmost shock, that his face was blood red with vivid yellow marks on it. His head feathers were also painted a bright yellow. Jojo, Lavender and Felix had laughed their heads off as their dad immediately washed off the paint and pollen before going after them, barking at them angrily. Brisa had also found it hilarious. Now Roberto was about to face another prank from his second brood of chicks and also that of Blu and Jewel.

Then as soon as Linda, Luke, Chilro and Ophelia were close enough to Roberto's head and upper body (Roberto was so lost in the cloud of his snooze he was completely unaware of what was about to come over him… literally), Luke nodded to his sister and two cousins and what happened next went by in a blurry ten seconds. A splash of chilly water was launched from the Brazil nut shell and spread over Roberto's head and chest, followed by a surprised gasp and shriek from the handsome Spix macaw as he sprang about two feet into the air as though the floor is was sleeping on had suddenly turned extremely hot, and if sheer bad luck would have it, the poor Spix macaw landed headfirst into a patch of wet mud! Laughs escaped Linda, Luke, Chilro and Ophelia's beaks and also from the beaks of their audience, including Aquamarine and Azurite as Roberto, sopping wet with his head feathers sticking to his head and his face and front covered with slimy brown stuff, rose to his feet, a bewildered expression flaring on his face. Then Luke and the other three retreated, more laughs escaping from their beaks and a clattering of a now-empty Brazil nut shell on solid rock as they dropped it. As Roberto whirled round, Carla and company, including Roberto's two older sons and daughter, were beginning to struggle the urge to burst out laughing. Aurora's cheeks were bulging with air as she tried in vain to keep her beak shut, Tyler, Ricardo, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil were holding their beaks to hide their smiles and Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Garrett, Músculo and Turquesa found it so difficult to hold in the urge to laugh that they were forced to disguise them as coughs. Roberto's blue eyes then snapped from Carla's group to Luke, Linda and their friends as they continued to laugh.

"Oh, it was YOU lot who tossed that chilly water over me, eh?" he growled annoyed, with a hint of amusement in it as well, and bolted after the chicks but they, stull laughing, darted away before Roberto could chase after them. The whole commotion had attracted the attention of some other Spix macaws, including Blu, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus and Nuvem and Cassia, as well as Eduardo and Mimi. When the older adult macaws touched down before Roberto and saw his browned face and front, the urge to laugh sparked within them but they restrained it.

"Well, Beto," asked Jewel, restraining the urge to laugh, "What has happened to you?"

"You look as though you've had a mud bath, much less a siesta," tittered Zephyr. When Roberto shot him a glare, Zephyr disguised his laughs as coughs. Eduardo and Mimi also smiled but hid their smiles behind their beaks.

"I think you ought to go back to your nest and wash off that mud," said Venus, stifling the urge to giggle, "You honestly look a mess."

"Oh, thanks," snapped Roberto slightly annoyed. His eyes then landed on Blu and Jewel and said, "And I want you two to known something, you need to have a little talk with those two rascals and newest additions to your family of yours."

And with that, he strode off, drips of water falling from his feathers in the direction of his tree. Blu and Jewel just stared at each other and tittered. In the background, Jojo, Felix and Lavender took off while the others looked on, also laughing.

"Aunt Brisa's not gonna be impressed when she sees Uncle Beto like that," tittered Carla.

"Probably not," said Charlotte amused.

"But then again, kids will be kids," said Virgil. The others didn't reply and continued laughing.

Moments later, Brisa was about to exit the hollow to call her mate when she was greeted by a handsome blue form with his entire front smeared with brown mud and his head feathers plastered to his head, still sopping wet. At this, Brisa made a shocked and amused expression, her eyes wide at the form before her.

"Kids, honestly," muttered a bemused Roberto, "They can be real rascals at times."

Brisa only replied by putting her wings on her hips but then began to release laughs from her beak.

 **Andromeda's clan's territory**

In the home patch of the archaeobird clan, strange and colourful creatures with metallic feathers decorated the trees, including one very large one which served as a home for most of the clan. Its trunk was perforated with countless holes which served as hollows for dozens of clan families, similar to how the enormous multi-tree back in Jurassic Jungle was able to house an entire clan of archaeobirds with its honeycomb-like interior. Some archaeobirds, however, chose to live in smaller hollows in separate trees, but these were few. Life was pleasant for the clan. Archaeobird chicks continued to be taught in classes while adolescents played or chatted. Adults also went about their daily business in cleaning their nests, bringing in food and raising their chicks, or training new bat-bird riders how to ride bat-birds. In one area, the soccer players, among them Anakin were practicing their skills. Unlike the macaws and other birds who could kick with their talons, archaeobirds had to use their wing hands to swipe the ball about while riding bat-birds for they could only glide and not actually fly. The archaeobirds were indeed no different from their fossilised counterparts, among them _Microraptor_ , whole the bat-birds were remarkably similar to the fossilised pterosaurs of species that were small. Because of this, the creatures had been called 'living fossils' by the researchers who ran the Sanctuary de Amazon. The archaeobird clan, along with their relatives and ancestors in Jurassic Jungle in Guyana, had very unique traits and customs, alongside their ability to ride another flying creature. They were able to use fire carefully and wisely, something the Amazonian bird tribes and clans had always avoided due to a bad history they had with fire. Because of this, the archaeobirds always kept their torches within the confines of their territory. The archaeobirds also had a clan dance, but they did not fly like the other tribes and clans. Instead they danced on the floor around a fire and played instruments. The archaeobirds' body décor consisted of flowers, fruit shells and moulted feathers they had collected worn around the necks, tied to a vine, and colourful fruit paint on their faces and bodies.

The archaeobirds were a very peaceful and pleasant clan, and always respected their new neighbours and used peaceful ways to resolve conflicts. They were almost never violent for they did not like war at all, but if a threat was sufficient, they may take action. While the archaeobirds continued their daily life in the home patch, a patrol group was out keeping an eye on the surrounding territory. Andromeda and Eragon had been informed by Flavio and Rudi of a group of flying foxes roaming their territory and told them to be very careful for those bats were highly dangerous and violent. Since then, Andromeda and Eragon had been sending out patrol groups to survey the territory to be on the safe side. The patrol group consisted of five archaeobirds, all adults riding on their bat-birds. One of the archaeobirds was Ophiuchus, and he had volunteered to lead the patrol group after hearing the news of a group of flying foxes entering the archaeobirds' territory. That had been troubling to some of the strange birds, especially since those flying foxes had a murderous hatred for all birds of the Amazon and saw them as vermin. As the group continued flying through the jungle on their bat-birds, one of Ophiuchus's companions, a young metallic lime green female with metallic purple fringes on her flight feathers and tail feathers, wore a worried expression on her face.

"I'm honestly troubled by the sound of violent bats on the loose, Ophiuchus," she murmured, "I hope those flying foxes or whatever they are called don't intrude our territory too much."

"That's why we're carrying out these patrols, Sparklefeather," replied Ophiuchus firmly, "It's to make sure that our territory's safe."

The lime green female, Sparklefeather, sighed. The group continued flying on, riding their bat-birds, their eyes constantly scanning the trees. Ophiuchus flew on his bat-bird, his eyes constantly scanning the trees for any suspicious flash of drab colour. The archaeobird patrol groups had been given a description of the flying foxes: massive creatures with red, brown, chocolate brown or orangish fur crisscrossed with scars, basalt black membranous wings with flexible fingers in them. However, Ophiuchus already had an idea of what the flying foxes looked like having seen some of them roaming the green tribe's territory. However, the quintet (group of five) and their bat-birds were in for a disturbing shock. As the group continued flying along, Ophiuchus's bat-bird began to emit frightened squeaky grunts from its beak and nervously look around. The quintet stopped into a hover.

"What is it, boy?" asked Ophiuchus. The bat-bird continued to look around timidly until its eyes landed on something. Ophiuchus followed his mount's gaze but when his eyes landed on the something, a sharp breath entered his mouth. Sparklefeather and the other three came up beside him on their mounts.

"What is…" began Sparklefeather but her sentence turned to a sharp, horrified gasp when she saw what Ophiuchus and his bat-bird saw. Ahead of the five archaeobirds and their bat-birds was a pair of black birds with glossy black plumage, white fronts and large orange beaks with black tips on a large branch. One of them looked in a serious state while the other looked traumatised and was calling for help. Without hesitation, Ophiuchus and his companions rocketed over to two birds, which were toco toucans (not Rafael) and perched around them, and dismounted their bat-birds.

"Oh, you're just in time," gasped one of the toucans that had been calling for help, a female."

Ophiuchus stood before her while Sparklefeather and the other three archaeobirds rushed to the toucan's side.

"What happened?" asked Ophiuchus. Before the female toucan could reply, Sparklefeather shouted Ophiuchus over. At this, the large metallic blue archaeobird and the toucan hurried over to the other four archaeobirds. The other toco toucan, which was a male, was in a right state. Much of his glossy black plumage was streaked with bleeding scratches and tooth marks and patched with bald areas where feathers had been torn out. His left wing looked crooked, implying it was broken. However, what was most disturbing was the look on his face which was flooded with immense terror.

"We were on an outing with three chicks," sobbed the female toucan, "when we were set upon by a group of violent flying creatures unawares. They savagely attacked my mate and killed our chicks. I only managed to escape with just a scratch under my wing," she showed them the said area by lifting her right wing, revealing three short gashes where claws had made their mark. The female toucan's voice then began to splinter as sobs began to break up her voice. "I tried defending my family but those creatures were so enormous and they took us so much by surprise that I had been unprepared for it…"

She then began to break down.

"What were these creatures that attacked you?" asked Sparklefeather. At this, the male toucan's terror-filled eyes travelled to the five bat-birds perched nearby and his battered body began to tremble.

"Furry… creatures with wings… like those…" murmured the traumatised toucan in a slow, traumatised voice. At this, the five archaeobirds flashed a glance at the wings of their bat-bird mounts and gazed back to the toucan. Two of the archaeobirds then began to apply some moss they had found nearby to the toucan's injuries.

"Furry creatures with wings like our bat-birds, you say?" asked Ophiuchus confused. The two toucans did not reply except with a traumatised gaze.

"Were you attacked by a group of creatures that had fur and wings of skin like our bat-birds but with four fingers in their wings and not one?" asked Sparklefeather more firmly, reinforcing Ophiuchus's question. A small nod from the male toucan's head confirmed it.

"Right here," said the female toucan, adding to the confirmation. At this, the five archaeobirds exchanged horrified glances.

"We'd better get these two toucans to our clan healers and report this to Andromeda and Eragon right away," said Sparklefeather seriously. She then whistled for the bat-birds who obediently came over. Ophiuchus then began to offer words of assurance to the toucans.

"Look, I want you both to remain calm during the journey back to our clan," he said firmly, "It shan't take long. We'll get you to our healers as soon as we can."

The two toucans replied with thankful gazes. Then the other three archaeobirds carefully loaded the two toucans onto their bat-birds, especially the male with his broken wing, and then mounted their bat-birds themselves. Then moments later, the group was off in the direction of the clan's home area.

"Sounds like we've definitely got some flying foxes in our territory, folks," said Ophiuchus suspiciously.

"How do you know?" asked Sparklefeather.

"We've not seen much of those flying furred creatures," said one of the other three archaeobirds. Ophiuchus hardened his gaze.

"Well, I've got a glimpse of some of those flying mammals with membranous wings and based on the brief description those two toucans gave us," he said firmly, "It seems that we've got some of them in our area as well."

"Looks like Flavio and Rudi weren't kidding about their witnessing of some of those flying mammals entering our territory when they informed our leaders," said Sparklefeather worriedly. Then the five archaeobirds on their bat-birds disappeared into the trees, the two toucans in tow. However, as the five flew out of earshot of the area, some leaves rustled. From those leaves, four pairs of eyes from four shadowy figures gazed evilly after the receding archaeobirds and bat-birds.

"What sort of birds are those?" asked one of the owners, "I've never seen anything like them before."

"Feathered legs like a second pair of wings, a long prehensile tail like a lizard, and wing claws, riding birds that do not have feathers but wings like us," said another, "That is strange indeed."

"Perhaps they're a new species of bird?" asked a third. The fourth one's eyes, however, had malice burning in its eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter how fascinating or how bizarre those creatures are," the owner of those eyes said to its companions, "Since they've got feathers, they're birds and they're absolutely NO different from any of the other feathered scum of the Amazon. Let's go and report this at once."

And with that, the rustling of leaves sounded followed by the flapping of four pairs of membranous wings as the four forms exited their hiding place and disappeared into the trees.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10- the situation begins to escalate part one**

The game between the red and the green macaws continued. The score was now two for the reds and one for the greens. The ball continued shooting around between macaws, cheers of the crowd continued to fill the air and the tapir narrator's big voice continued echoing throughout the Pit's atmosphere. Red and green comets continued shooting about in the stadium and the macaw currently on the ball was Callisto. She dribbled the ball with amazing expertise.

"Wow, look at Callisto, everyone," shouted the tapir. Green macaw opponents flew in to try and take the ball from Callisto but she kept dodging them. In the red tribe's crowd, Ruby, Amalthea and Oliver, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, and Gabrielle and their friends all cheered for Callisto as she continued dribbling the ball towards the greens' goal where Nalda the goalie was. Then as a wall of three green macaws appeared before Callisto, the quick-thinking scarlet macaw shot the ball to Mars who continued dribbling the ball towards the greens' goal. However, an unexpected thing happened. As Mars prepared to shoot the ball into the ball guarded by the poised Nalda, a green macaw named Hayle flew in to try and take the ball from him. However, she flew towards the green-winged macaw too fast and before she could slow down, she collided right into Mars's back. Horrified gasps rolled through the green and red crowds and some winced, especially Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos. Hayle also raised her talons to her beak in utter shock as she saw what she had done to Mars, who awkwardly retreated to the side of the stadium, his face twisted in pain. Green and red macaws including Nalda flew over to him as the tapir announced a foul and the curassow referee screeched a whistle to stop the game.

"Are you alright, Mars?" asked Lewin as the green-winged macaw clasped his back. Then some first-aiders flew in and gathered around Mars. Hayle flew in with an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry, buddy," she shouted, "I couldn't slow down in time. Looks like I've got a foul."

Then one of the military first aiders checked the spot where Hayle crashed into Mars.

"It's nothing serious but he needs to be removed from the stadium," he said. Felipe sighed.

"Accidents like this are bound to happen," he said, "I know we were terrible when these games used to be wars. We used to deliberately attack the opponent's team members and pretend it was done by accident."

"So did we," said Lewin as he thought back to the 'war' between the greens and the Lear's years and years ago before the peace. Then the curassow referee came in and showed the coin toss bird's yellow front to Hayle.

"Foul," she said. Hayle nodded in acceptance and flew away. Mars was then taken back to the red tribe's crowd and Pearl had sent in a substitute to replace him. Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Gabrielle came over to Mars as he began to rest by the substitute group.

"Are you alright, Mars?" asked Chiquitita.

"I'm fine, just a sharp pain where Hayle collided with me," said Mars. He winced as he felt sharp pain come from said area.

"You played really well though, Dad," said Phobos.

"Too bad about the collision," said Deimos. Mars simply smiled. Soon the game was back on track and once again, the ball flew around the stadium with red and green comets with a variety of colour flying after it.

 **The chestnut-fronted macaw group's home**

Somewhere on the territory of the Spix tribe, the small group of chestnut-fronted macaws were also up to their usual activities. They had been warned by a passing Spix patrol to beware of roaming flying fox groups and to report to Blu and Jewel immediately should they find any activity from them, which the chestnut-fronted macaws had agreed to keep on their toes for. A group of five young adult chestnut-fronted macaws, among them Alessandro and Rhiannon were on a flight out to a guava grove. Around the group, several flashes of cerulean indicated the presence of some of the Spix macaws who greeted the quintet as they passed by. The chestnut-fronted macaws were friends with the Spix macaw tribe and had lived with them since the Spix macaw tribe moved into their ravine. However, they did not associate much with the red macaws when they and the Spix macaws had been enemies for they did not want to get caught in the middle of the conflict. Now that that was over years ago, shortly after the fight against the loggers, the chestnut-fronted macaws were now friends with the red macaws as well. With Rhiannon and Alessandro were three of their friends, two males named Garcia and Jorge and a female named Chiquita. The latter three were some of Alessandro and Rhiannon's friends but before, they had once treated Alessandro like an outcast several years ago for believing in some of the tales from the Navyfeather Clan, especially the Bizarre Birds and Treasure one. However, after seeing the living proof of those bizarre birds (i.e., the archaoebirds), the three's mockery of Alessandro had dissolved.

"Boy, I can't believe that it's been two years since you had been on that brave quest to Guyana to find the treasure with Carla and some of the others, Alessandro," said Jorge as the five flew through the jungle, "You ought to be proud of yourself for participating in the trip."

Alessandro replied with a humble smile. He had been the subject of talk among the young adult chestnut-fronted macaws since his return from Guyana with Carla and some others, among them Milo and Velocity, one of Sunset and Travis's sons and Cometa and Lightning's daughter respectively.

"I wouldn't have went myself," said Rhiannon, "One I'd just dismiss it as a myth and two, those terrifying flying reptiles capable of killing a human according to Andromeda and her new settlers."

"Those predatory bat-birds were vicious," said Alessandro, "Several times we were almost eaten by them."

"How big were they?" asked Chiquita. Alessandro thought as he tried to remember the size of those large pterosaurs.

"Probably about twice the size of a harpy eagle," he said, "They were massive and had lethal foot claws and long beaks. Their habitat was mostly around the entrance of the Cave of Colours and Sparkles, the treasure cave."

"Where you found that legendary treasure," said Jorge with a fascinated smile. Alessandro nodded.

"Well, he sure was brave like I've said," said Rhiannon, a short nuzzle against Alessandro's cheek, "I wouldn't have attempted it."

"Neither would any of us," said Garcia. The other three smiled and the five continued flying on until the guava tree grove finally appeared in view. The five chestnut-fronted macaws touched down and began to relax. Alessandro and Jorge then began to browse the branches of the strawberry guava trees for any ripe guavas while the other three began to chat more. Around the quintet, there were fewer flashes of blue and cerulean for there weren't many Spix macaws in this part of the Spix tribe's territory currently.

While Chiquita, Rhiannon and Garcia continued chatting Alessandro and Jorge scanned the guava tree branches.

"Strawberry guavas are my favourite fruit," said Jorge, "They always have been since I was a chick."

"I never really liked this fruit that much," said Alessandro, "I like them but they're not my strongest favourite fruit."

Jorge then licked his beak at the thought of relishing the tasty bouquet of the guava's flavour which he loved very much. As he and Alessandro continued browsing the clusters of red giant grape-like fruit on the branches, Jorge's eyes spotted something unusual on the floor at the foot of one of the trees, a few dashes of red. At this, he turned his eyes in the direction of said dashes and saw a few guavas lying on the floor. Fluttering down to the guavas, Jorge picked one up in a talon and examined it closely. It had gashes in its flesh and appeared half-eaten, as something had taken several bites out of it. The same was true for the other guavas, about half a dozen of them, lying on the floor based on their misshapen and gashed appearances. Based on the shapes of the gashes, it was clear that the marks have been made by teeth and not a beak. Puzzled, Jorge called Alessandro.

"Alessandro, look at this."

Alessandro pulled his gaze away from the red clusters of guavas and fluttered down to Jorge who then showed him the half-eaten guavas, including the one in his talon.

"Looks like these guavas have been eaten by some sort of mammal," said Jorge. Alessandro then gazed at the other guavas on the floor and the gouges in their flesh. When he saw the tooth-shaped gashes in the fruits, Alessandro raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe a group of monkeys have decided to help themselves to some fruit?" asked Alessandro. "I know there are some mammals that live with us that eat fruit and nuts and plant material."

"Yeah, but not strawberry guavas," said Jorge. The two gazed at the half-eaten guava for a few more minutes before Jorge finally tossed it aside, shrugging it off.

"I don't think it's important;" said Jorge, "Let's just find some snacks for our three friends."

And with that, he opened his wings and ascended back into the tree. Alessandro gazed at the half-eaten guavas scattered like giant broken seeds on the floor, an uncertain look in his eyes. The chestnut-fronted macaws had been warned by one of the Spix tribe patrols to be aware of roaming flying foxes. Shaking his head, Alessandro fluttered back into the tree to browse for any ripe, intact guavas, flying in the opposite direction to Jorge. Jorge continued examining the guavas until his eyes found a ripe cluster. He reached out with a talon and picked a few. However, as Jorge did this, he heard some odd sounds emanate from somewhere nearby. At this, the male chestnut-fronted macaw raised his head and cocked his ears to the sound. It sounded like a conversation going on. Compelled to investigate by curiosity, Jorge flashed a glance at Alessandro who continued to browse for ripe guavas in an adjacent tree and at Rhiannon, Chiquita and Garcia who still continued to chat, thinking it was them at first. However, Jorge realised that he was hearing a second conversation going on, implying that there was another group of talkers nearby. Pulling his gaze away from the other four, Jorge began to track the sound to its source. He hoped that it was another group of birds talking. As he continued to trace the sounds, which grew louder the closer he got to the source, Jorge began to hear full words. However, they were clearly not from a group of birds as he had hoped.

"I can't believe that those cerulean and blue feathered worms are still alive, folks. I thought the fire had killed them."

"I know. It's hard to believe. But that doesn't matter. We've got work to do…"

Jorge, breathing in a sharp gasp, fluttered towards the conversation's source faster. No bird group would ever say anything like that about the Spix macaw tribe; much less call them 'cerulean and blue feathered worms'. After a few more seconds, Jorge found the conversers. However, the moment his eyes landed on them, his lower beak fell open and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. Perched on a branch of a guava tree were four large furry forms, around twice his size. Around their bodies spread charcoal black membranous wings like cloaks, supported by four very long flexible fingers with a hook at their convergent point and in their fur slashed quite a number of gashes of scar tissue skin. The sight of the scars made Jorge's stomach flinch in his belly as though it had been punched. The four hideous creatures were snacking on some strawberry guavas and chatting. Jorge felt his heart leap into his throat in immense horror at the sight of the creatures. However, the four conversing creatures had noticed him as well. At first, surprised flashed in their gazes but then they morphed into extremely acidic gazes filled with malice and hatred.

"Looks like we've got a filthy feathered eavesdropper, folks," growled one hostilely, its fur bristled. The other three nodded in agreement, their fur also bristled. Jorge drew in a sharp, horrified gasp.

Meanwhile, Alessandro touched down with Rhiannon, Garcia and Chiquita and offered them some guavas. The three chestnut-fronted macaws gladly took the red fruits and began to eat them while Alessandro began to snack on the remaining three he had taken for himself and scan the surroundings for Jorge. However, there was no sign of him.

"Hey, where's Jorge?" asked Chiquita, munching on one of the guavas.

"I thought he was browsing the guavas with Alessandro," said Garcia. At this, Alessandro put his guavas down and began to search for Jorge.

"Jorge," he called, "Jorge, where did you go?"

No answer. Alessandro began to feel worry and a dreadful thought bubble within him.

"Don't tell me some predator has got him," muttered Rhiannon with a frown. The other two shot her a glare.

"If he were in trouble from one," replied Garcia, "Such as from a snake or a predatory bird, he'd be screeching and shouting for us to help."

Rhiannon was about to reply when suddenly, a bloodcurdling screech reached the four's ears. It was a macaw squawk, one of agony. At this, immense dread flared over them like a blast of fire.

"JORGE!" shouted Alessandro and with that, he dashed off. Rhiannon, Garcia and Chiquita darted off after him, their guavas scattering like stones on the ground in their haste. As the four chestnut-fronted macaws whizzed around the guava trees, shouting Jorge's name, they sharply braked into a horrified hover when their eyes found something lying near a patch of ferns near the grove. It was a green form with a few dashes of blue and red on its wings. Horror tore through the four macaws when they saw him.

"Jorge," cried Alessandro and with that, he rocketed over to the form with the other three following. As the four touched down around him, the form, which was indeed Jorge, weakly moved his head and focussed his eyes on his friends, his face twisted in sheer agony. Alessandro, Chiquita, Garcia and Rhiannon felt another shock of alarm when their eyes found red gashes running across their friend's face, oozing a familiar red liquid, and a kink in the bony part of his right wing. Jorge was in immense pain. His wing was screaming in agony and his fascial gashes were weeping blood, colouring the ground and any leaves near his face red.

"What happened?" demanded Alessandro, "Who did this to you?"

Jorge, however, could not reply for he was in too much agony but he managed to mouth something, though no sound came with it.

"What?" asked Rhiannon and moved her ear close to his beak to better hear what he was trying to say. Jorge mouthed the same thing and managed to force some breath through his mouth. Alessandro, Garcia and Chiquita looked on in dread. Then Rhiannon's head rose and her face gazed at them, laced with horror.

"Let's get him to our group's healers now and then report all this to Blu, Jewel and their tribe," said Alessandro. Chiquita and Garcia then began to flash glances at the surroundings as though a predator was about to jump out at them, unease creeping in.

"Good idea, Alessandro," murmured Garcia, glad that Alessandro had said this.

"We don't feel safe out here anyway," said Chiquita. Then without a second's hesitation, the four macaws took off, wrapped their talons around Jorge and lifted him off the floor, taking care not to further injure his broken wing. Then they carefully carried him away in the direction of their group's home away from the strawberry guava tree grove.

 **The blue-headed macaws' home**

Somewhere in the blue-and-gold tribe's territory, the group of blue-headed macaws in which Skyla, Mariposa and Jairo lived were also going about their daily business. However, like the other small bird groups, they had been warned to beware of any roaming flying foxes and to report any suspicious activity to Soleado and Zoie by some blue-and-gold patrollers. In one tree near the main grove of trees in which the group lived, Kiawe, Mariposa's boyfriend, was spending time with some of his friends, Caspian and Citrine from the golden conure group who lived on the Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans' territory, and Saturn and Orquidea's seven first-brood offspring, Mimas (Ganymede was absent for he was in the Pit of Games with his tribe), Enceladus and his hyacinth girlfriend Trixie from the Bluewing Clan, Tethys (Oberon was also absent for he was also in the Pit of Games with his tribe due to the game being between the red and green macaws), Dione and her boyfriend Porthos, Rhea, Titan and his girlfriend Brooke, and Iapetus. Cobalto and Ceres's first-brood sons, Azul and his girlfriend Fernanda and Aurelio and Wilbur were also visiting this part of the blue-and-gold macaws' territory but only Azul, Fernanda and Wilbur were present. Aurelio was absent with Mariposa and her mother Skyla. They had gone to the club to set it up for tonight's clubbing, and Aurelio, being into music and singing himself with his glittery voice similar to Roberto's, had decided to help. Plans for acts at the club was going to involve some special guests, among them Roberto and Brisa and Zephyr and Venus, who will be dancing in duets for a romantic night out, and Skyla wanted to make sure that the club was well prepared for this event.

Kiawe, Citrine, Caspian, Mimas and company and the three blue-throated macaws sat perched in a tree, snacking on a variety of fruit, among them berries.

"I wonder how Ganymede's sister Callisto and father Uncle Jupiter are doing in the Pit of Games, along with Alexandre and Uncle Mars," murmured Mimas dreamily. She missed Ganymede and wished she had gone with him and his tribe to watch his sister and father play as part of the team but Saturn and Orquidea had wanted her and her six siblings to stay behind and help keep watch on their neighbours for any flying foxes, especially the chicks. The attack on one of the class groups in the green tribe by a group of flying foxes led by Cicatriz. The patriarch of the colony had spread like wildfire throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon and chicks and young birds had been put under strict adult supervision. However, Mimas and company had received permission from their parents to visit the blue-headed macaws as part of their break from keeping an eye on a group of chicks. Kiawe breathed a sigh as he ate some berries.

"I can't believe what had happened to some of Alonso's tribe members," he said, brushing his flame-like crest with a wing, "Why would those bats want to attack a class with so many chicks?"

"Those flying foxes are barbaric furballs who have no qualms about who they victimise," growled Azul, a flash of outrage sparking in his eyes, "Be it chicks, elderly birds, young adults or those with injuries."

"The bats' intrusions are starting to trouble some of us, I can tell you," said Mimas, "Especially with the Amazon Soccer League going on. I worry for the macaws who have eggs or chicks who cannot yet fly to tend to back in their tribes' home patches."

"Soleado has sent some blue-and-gold macaw patrol groups to keep an eye on the green and red macaws who have to remain behind for those reasons while the test of their tribes are in the Pit of Games," said Enceladus, "And I'm sure the other tribe and clan leaders will have sent some patrols over to the green and red tribes' territories to help keep an eye on things as well."

"They will have done," said Trixie, munching on a mango, "Demetrio and Reynaldo has sent some patrols to the green tribe's home patch as well."

"That's good," said Tethys, "At least those macaws will have someone watching over them."

The others nodded in agreement. Then Dione moved onto something else.

"By the way, are you guys looking forward to clubbing tonight?" she asked with a smile, "I've heard that Roberto and Brisa will be singing as a duet at Skyla's club."

"So are Venus and Zephyr," said Porthos, "And several other couples."

"We have signed up to sing and dance as a duet at the club as well," said Azul, his wing around Fernanda, "So have Carla and Justin."

"Oh, I know what those two are like with music and clubbing," said Rhea with a titter, "They're real music freaks, those two."

"Clubbing, dancing, singing and music are their favourite subjects," said Enceladus. Trixie, his hyacinth girlfriend nodded in agreement.

"What song will they be dancing to?" asked Citrine.

"I think it is a Katy Perry song, possibly 'Teenage Dream' or something like that," said Rhea, "But I can't remember which song it is though. Modern music is Carla's preferred taste. Justin likes some today's music as well but his favourites also expand to the previous decades, especially the eighties but Carla had insisted that she and Justin dance to something more modern than from something from the previous decades."

"Well, Uncle Zephyr and Aunt Venus are going to dance to 'Always' by Erasure, a song from the nineties," said Titan. "It was actually the song to which they danced to in their very first proper and solo duet before our parents had us back in Rio."

"I thought 'Hot Wings' by Nico and Pedro was the song to which they had their first dance," said Caspian.

"Yes but that was with the other couples," said Titan, "Not by themselves."

"I've never heard of that song," said Kiawe.

"Uncle Zephyr and Aunt Venus will be dancing to that song tonight," said Iapetus, "While Uncle Roberto and Aunt Brisa's song choice will be 'Lavender' by Marillion, an eighties song."

"Interesting," said Citrine. Brooke then leaned back and placed her wings behind her head.

"Well, I would like to dance to a romantic song with my boyfriend Titan at the club tonight as well," she said, "But I sadly can't decide what song to dance to."

"We'll have to see Carla, Justin and Io and decide on that," said Titan with a smile.

"I thought you two already danced to a song at Skyla's club the other night," said Fernanda as she sat next to Azul. "Yeah, we did. It was when Nico, Pedro, Eva and Rafael were visiting us back then."

"Yeah, but Eva totally spoilt it for everyone with her screechy voice," muttered Tethys disdainfully. She then gazed with a sour face into space. "It makes me wonder how Rafael could even think of her voice as being something like as serene as the glistening surface of a still lake in the moonlight or something like that."

"More like as horrible as the churning surface of the Amazon River during a storm," muttered Caspian, "She didn't half nearly blow the eardrums of some of us out of our heads, honestly."

"Fortunately she and Rafael won't be visiting here again for some time," said Azul. He then frowned. "But I think they've gone back to Rio to have yet more chicks. Rafael told us that he and Eva had had another clutch of three chicks a year ago."

"Three more chicks!?" cried Trixie incredulously.

"Yep, three more chicks," said Enceladus, "To add to their already fifty-something offsrping."

"Aren't those two toucans getting a bit too old to continue having kids?" asked Kiawe with a frown, "I have noticed that they were showing signs of aging based on the silver streaks in their plumage."

"Don't ask," said Mimas with a shrug of her shoulders. The others just said nothing. Suddenly, commotion began to be stirred as a macaw came rushing in like a rocket towards Kiawe's group.

"Kiawe, KIAWE!" shouted the macaw in a silvery but splintering wood-like voice, "GUYS, WHERE ARE YOU!?"

At this, Kiawe's group, alongside some of the surrounding blue-headed macaws, turned and focussed on a deep blue and yellow comet rushing towards Kiawe's group.

"Aurelio," called Wilbur, Fernanda and Azul together. The blue and yellow macaw, which was Aurelio, then made a beeline for Kiawe's group. Aurelio's appearance clearly indicated that he was terrified. His feathers were on end and his grey eyes were inflated by terror, as though he had seen a ghost, and Aurelio was practically flying so fast that he looked as though he was being chased by a harpy eagle. As Aurelio clumsily landed on a branch before Kiawe and company, Kiawe, Azul, Fernanda and Titan flew over to him as Aurelio began to breathe rapidly due to him flying so fast.

"You look absolutely terrified, Aurelio," said Caspian as Kiawe and Azul supported the terrified and trembling blue-throated macaw, "Are you alright?"

Just then several blue-headed macaws gathered around the panting and puffing Aurelio. One of them was Jairo, the father of Mariposa and Skyla's mate.

"Has something happened?" demanded Jairo, dread washing over him. Aurelio took a minute to regain control of his breathing until finally; he had enough control of it to speak.

"It's just horrible," he cried distressfully. At this, the audience all popped their heads up in horror.

"What is?" asked Kiawe. Aurelio shot him a dreaded look but nothing could prepare the group, especially Kiawe and Jairo, for what he said next.

"We had been attacked by some flying foxes at the club while we were preparing it for tonight," he cried, "And they wreaked havoc within it."

Immense horror tore through the group. Then the thought of Skyla and Mariposa fired up in Jairo and Kiawe's minds.

"Don't tell me that Mariposa and Skyla have been…" began Mimas but she could not bring herself to finish this sentence.

"Take us there AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" bellowed Jairo to Aurelio. The blue-throated macaw nodded rapidly and rocketed off. Jairo, Kiawe and several other blue-headed macaws then rocketed off, Azul, Fernanda and Wilbur following. Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus, Porthos, Trixie and Brooke opened their wings to follow but Jairo commanded them not to follow.

"You lot stay behind and help our group gather any chicks and other vulnerable members of our group and escort them back to their hollows and also alert your tribe," he called as he went. At this, the nine blue-and-gold macaws and hyacinth macaw hesitated for a moment but then obeyed. While Mimas's group sought to helping the blue-headed macaw group to gather any chicks and any other vulnerable members that were out in the territory and bring back to the blue-headed macaw mini-clan's grove.

 **Sometime later**

Jairo, Kiawe, Azul, Aurelio, Fernanda and Wilbur froze in utter horror. With them stood Skyla and Mariposa who were alright and unharmed, much to the immense relief of Jairo and Kiawe. However, the mother and daughter were very badly shaken and were trembling like leaves and breathing rapidly.

"Good grief," murmured Jairo in a whisper.

"Now we see why Aurelio was in such hysterics," said Azul. Fernanda and Wilbur did not say anything. Skyla's club was an absolute and utter mess and looked as though a wild animal had gone on a rampage through it. The slab of wood, which served as a door to the inside of the tree, lay a couple of feet away from the entrance, its surface scoured and streaked with gashes and cracks. The outer wall of the tree was slashed with more gashes and scratches similar to a jaguar's claw marks on a tree trunk but very untidily and squiggly, rather than vertically. There were also splatters dotting the wood, and smears leading to some fruit at the foot of the tree, where they had been thrown and had slithered down to the floor. Inside, however, truly resembled much more of a disaster zone. The wooden stool-like pieces, which were used as tables and seats in the dining area, were overturned and the bar where the bartender served fruit and drinks had been utterly destroyed, the shelves completely torn from their places and thrown everywhere. The stage, the decorations and instruments had been ripped apart and demolished. The dancefloor was littered with even more fruit and smashed coconuts and fruit shells, juice splattered everywhere. The fruit must have been from the bar and had been tossed wildly everywhere. On the walls were more gashes and slashes as well as more fruit smears and splatters. Backstage had also been turned into a bombsite lookalike and the curtain of vines and flowers separating it from the main stage had been torn down. The vines and flowers lay like a bundle of snakes at the foot of the entrance. Skyla and Mariposa were crying their eyes out, clearly traumatised from the whole ordeal and Kiawe and Azul had their wings around them to comfort them.

"Those five bats were honestly behaving as though they were fuelled by explosive anger," sobbed Skyla, "While we were checking the setup and everything in preps for tonight's shows, those creeps forced their way into the club, armed with sharp stones and wood shards and tried to attack us."

"However, we managed to escape through one of the windows and hid in some ferns," added Mariposa, "while those horrid bats went about trashing the place. We heard all kinds of awful things exploding from those feral furballs alongside the sounds of those dining tables being ripped from their foundations and tossed about, scraping of rock and wood against the walls and the splattering of fruit against the walls. They went on for about half an hour at which point we sent Aurelio to fetch you guys. However, those bats had left by the time you guys came back."

"What those bats said was utterly disturbing, honestly," said Aurelio, "They were ranting and railing about us bird, saying how we were vermin and all that, alongside other highly disturbing things which we won't mention."

"Do you know what might happen on a night when our club is full?" asked Skyla, "With dozens and dozens of clubbers present, and my club sometimes does get packed with a lot of clubbers, if any of those bats launch an attack like that group did a while ago, an outright massacre's gonna result."

Skyla then went forward and furiously kicked a discarded piece of mango aside. "We're gonna have to let the guests who had signed up to perform at my club tonight know what has happened and tell them that clubbing has been cancelled. We can't have our acts performing in this carnage."

She then stomped towards the destroyed interior of her club and began to have a meltdown. Jairo, Kiawe, Wilbur, Azul and Fernanda continued standing there, taking it all in until finally Fernanda broke the silence.

"We're gonna have to let Soleado and Zoie know about this at once," she said, "And also spread the word throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon. If we're gonna have those flying foxes viciously going on a rampage like this, someone's gonna get hurt or even killed."

"Good point, Fernanda, you head back to Soleado's tribe right away with Aurelio and his brothers," said Jairo firmly. Fernanda nodded and with that, she took off with Aurelio, Wilbur and Azul in tow. Turning to Mariposa and Kiawe, Jairo said, "You two, return home and tell our group leader what has happened while Skyla and I head for the Spix macaw tribe's territory to report this to Blu and Jewel and let Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa and the other Spix macaw couples that they will not be performing at our club tonight."

Kiawe and Mariposa nodded obediently and rocketed off in the direction of the chestnut-fronted macaws' home, leaving Jairo and Skyla with the trashed club. However, they did not set to with starting the clean-up of the club for they had more important things to focus on.

"Come on, Skyla, let's head over to the Spix tribe's ravine," said Jairo, "They have to know what you, Mariposa and Aurelio have witnessed at that club on the double."

"We'll have to tell this to the other birds as well," said Skyla as the couple flew away, "But the red and green tribes are still in the Pit of Games."

"Well, we'll head over to Felipe and Alonso's tribes' home patches last, dear," said Jairo and with that, the chestnut-fronted macaw couple tore through the trees in the direction of the Spix tribe's territory.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11- the situation begins to escalate part two, a dreadful feeling**

 **The Navyfeathers and glaucous tribe's territory**

Mercury, Sapphire and their daughters Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and son Ozzy, together with Squaw'tagnan, the boyfriend of Phoebe, were on an outing with Neptune, Ultramarine, their son Triton, daughter Indigo and their respective other halves Penelope and Victor, and Neptune and Ultramarine's youngest daughter Violet, and Pluto, Lapis Lazuli and their grown up first-brood offspring Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor, second-brood son Charlie and Blueberry and Charon's other halves Aiden and Neytiri respectively. The glaucous macaw family was discussing with the Lear's macaw family for the next game in the Amazon Soccer League series was to be between the glaucous tribe and the blue-and-gold tribe which was scheduled to occur in five days' time after the green and the red tribes' game still currently going on.

Blueberry, Charon, Neytiri, Pluto and Aiden were part of the glaucous team and were looking forward to their first time in the Pit of Games. Neytiri had never really been into soccer when she was a chick but after trying it out as prompted by her aunt Michelle and scoring her first goal shortly after returning from the Guyana trip two years ago, she had taken it up and had begun to practice it more. As she improved her skills, she was now like a pro.

"I wonder how the red and the green teams are doing," said Neytiri as she relaxed on a branch where it joined a tree's trunk, "I hope Callisto, Athos, Jupiter and Mars and Alexandre are doing well, as is Umbriel."

"I think they'll have nearly finished their game by now," said Phoebe nearby as she watched over Ozzy and Charlie as they played with some figures carved for them by Athos, "I can't wait to hear who's won."

"We're next," said Aiden excitedly as he sat with Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor. The latter two, however, looked uncertain.

"I'm not sure if we'll have our game with the blue-and-gold macaws," said Quincy, "With those flying foxes flying around…"

"It might even not go ahead," said Flor.

"Oh, Quincy, Flor, don't be so melodramatic," said Blueberry in slight rebuke, "I'm sure those bats will simply change their minds and go back to their territory and leave us alone." She sighed and leaned back against a trunk, "I hope so anyway."

"Well, I HOPE they do, Blueberry," snapped Neytiri bitterly, "Because their presence really is starting to give our tribe the creeps!"

As she said this, Victor and Indigo flapped in.

"Yeah, especially for Blueberry and her siblings' mom, Lapis Lazuli," said Victor, a nod to the older female glaucous macaw with rich blue feathers talking with Pluto, Neptune, Ultramarine, Mercury and Sapphire perched on a branch not too far away.

"When we saw her return with you guys the other day with Falkor and Ámbar and Dad the other day," said Indigo, "We saw that she was in a state of hysteria, as though she had had a close shave with a harpy eagle, which we had thought at first. But when we heard from Dad that they had found a group of flying foxes in our territory as he told Uncle Flavio, we were horrified."

"Mom has had a traumatic ordeal with those bats, and so has the rest of our tribe," said Charon. He then shuddered as he imagined what the glaucous tribe had faced when Lapis Lazuli, along with her cousin Rudi who had been adolescents at the time, at the clutches of those flying foxes. Then Victor moved on.

"Have you guys heard of Aguamarina and her family, the former members of the Spix macaw tribe lately?" he asked the others, "I heard that Aguamarina and her equally arrogant and bratty mate, Alba, have been having a lot of chicks. Up to four broods, in fact."

"How many chicks have they had altogether?" asked Phoebe.

"About thirteen," said Victor with an envy-filled voice tone, "Three in the first brood, four in the second, another two in the third and another four in the fourth. When Mom and Dad and I went to visit them to check on them as Eduardo had ordered that they be checked on in their new home, Aguamarina and her mother Mertle, had showed off those chicks and stated how Jewel was useless in having so many chicks."

"They're like Uncle Rafael and Aunt Eva," said Phoebe sourly.

"I hope those chicks of theirs aren't gonna take after their mother and grandmother," said Squaw'tagnan with a frown, "Knowing what they're like based on what Jewel told us."

"Mertle and Alba are aiming to have as many chicks as possible," said Penelope who sat beside Triton, "They want an enormous family to show off to the other birds, especially Jewel and her family. They're a bunch of real spoilt brats, they are."

"Well, I hope those arrogant Spix macaws will have their pride cut down to size," said Phoebe with a frown.

"Absolutely," said Jasmine, "Pride is a horrible thing. It can lead to serious consequences."

"Maybe Mertle's many chicks will cause her serious problems," said Annette slightly meanly, "Like serious stress in trying to keep so many mischievous kids under control and to feed that many mouths."

"When we come to have kids of our own one day," said Charon, his wing around Neytiri who gazed at him longingly, "We're not gonna be breeding like rabbits."

"Or show off our kids," said Neytiri.

"Neither will any of us," said Blueberry in agreement.

"Or they'd probably end up like Rafael and Eva's many, many offspring and their innumerable grandkids," said Aiden. He then shot Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor a look. "Mind you, I've heard that your mixed cockatoo friends have had to have their birdhouse replaced after some of those rambunctious toucan troublemakers destroyed their old one back in Rio, didn't they?"

"That was two years ago," said Quincy.

"I just could not believe that some of those hooligans would destroy someone's living place," muttered Flor.

"They're a crowd to honestly avoid, especially after what happened last time when we went to Rio last year," put in Victor. He remembered taking a trip with Neptune, Ultramarine, Indigo, Triton and Violet, as well as Neytiri to Rio last year and coming across a group of some of Rafael and Eva's younger offspring. Indigo, Triton, Neytiri and Victor had faced trouble from those toucans who did the usual naughty things like pelting them with seeds and fruit, pulling out their feathers and entangling them in vines. One or two even took fascination in Neytiri's unusually long plait-like crest and actually pulled on it, causing her pain while another had taken interest in Victor's fruit shell hat and had snatched it from him. This led to a wild chase between Victor and the toucans for his hat, as the mischievous chicks tossed the hat to one another with a highly frustrated Victor in hot pursuit, much to their laughter. The mischief, however, came to an abrupt halt as one of the kids unintentionally threw the fruit shell at a resident green-winged macaw and bopped him on the head, and that had not been well received. The toucan chicks, sensing trouble, immediately scattered and left Indigo, Triton, Neytiri and Victor to face a good yelling at from the macaw who assumed them to have struck him on the head with the fruit shell. When Neptune and Ultramarine had returned and the four young hyacinth macaws had explained everything to them, the toucan kids denied any mischief they had caused them while Rafael and Eva had done nothing.

While Phoebe continued talking with her sisters, boyfriend and hyacinth and glaucous friends, briefly flashing a glance at Ozzy and Charlie, the two newest additions to Mercury and Pluto's families, respectively, the young Lear's and glaucous chicks continued to play, laughing heartily. However, they were about to be distracted and led away from the older macaws' sides. While Ozzy and Charlie continued playing, a rustling noise, like that of leaves, sounded below the branch on which they and the others were sat. At this, the young glaucous and Lear's macaw chicks popped their heads up. The rustling noise of leaves sounded again, attracting the two boys' attention and making them gaze downward towards the forest floor. Overcome by curiosity, Ozzy and Charlie flashed a glance at Phoebe, who continued chatting with the other macaws, her back turned for a few seconds and, against Phoebe's commands that they stay within sight of the group, the two boys opened their tiny wings and leaped off the branch. The pair descended through the canopy, their ears tracking the rustling noise on the way down. Soon, another sound filled their ears. It was the sound of squeaks of an animal. At this, Charlie and Ozzy stopped into a hover and listened to sounds. It sounded like a baby animal squawking in fear. Compelled by another swell of curiosity, the pair continued their descent until they touched down onto the soil of the forest floor. Back on the branch, Phoebe turned her gaze in the direction of Ozzy and Charlie to make sure that they were present but when she realised that the two chicks were missing, horror tore through her.

"Mom, Dad, guys," she called. At this, Mercury, Sapphire, Neptune, Ultramarine, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli, and Squaw'tagnan, Jasmine, Annette, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri, Aiden and Triton, Indigo, Victor and Penelope all gazed at her.

"What is it, Phoebe?" asked Mercury.

"Ozzy and Charlie have wandered off," cried Phoebe as panic set in.

Back on the forest floor, Ozzy and Charlie looked around at the clutter of vegetation overshadowing the ground, constantly listening to the squeaky whimpers and trying to track them to their source. They were so blinded by curiosity that their awareness of how far they had wandered from their elders' side had been overshadowed. Thus they didn't realise that they might be wandering into danger, and the clutter of the jungle could be absolutely full of a variety of hazards, such as snakes, poisonous amphibians and reptiles and the most dangerous floor predator of all: the jaguar. Still the young glaucous and Lear's boys continued tracing the squeaky whimpers' source while above the canopy, Mercury and company had begun to search for them, calling out their names. The boys, despite hearing the voices of their parents and older siblings through the roof of vegetation above them, continued their search for the animal that was making the squeaky whimpers. Then a moment later, Ozzy found it. He squeaked to Charlie who pattered over to him. Ozzy lifted up a large fern leaf and revealed a bundle of fur. The moment Ozzy and Charlie's eyes landed on the creature, which was brown with white streaks and spots painted and dotted all over it, they felt a flash of sympathy for it. Based on its fur markings and size, it was a baby tapir, and it looked very frightened. Then Ozzy and Charlie saw that the creature had a small injury on its rump, just above the hip. Three short scratches ran over the hip join and the young tapir appeared to be in some pain. However, something else flooded its eyes. It appeared to be fear, for the baby seemed lost and alone and was calling for its parent. Taking pity, Ozzy and Charlie began to set to helping the baby, called the calf, onto its feet. After they had helped the tapir calf up, the pair began to scan the surrounding green vegetation for any signs of the parent. The tapir calf continued squeaking while Charlie and Ozzy continued searching when suddenly, another sound, consisting of deeper pig-like grunts indicating an older animal, reached the macaws' ears. At this, Ozzy and Charlie, realising that the owner of those grunts could be from the calf's parent, dived into hiding in a patch of ferns, before turning and looking out back at the baby tapir as it wobbled slightly unsteadily on its feet. A second later, another tapir, a much larger one with chocolate brown hide with absolutely no white streaks and spots, emerged from some shrubs, grunting to the baby tapir. The tapir calf, upon seeing the adult which turned out to be its mother, immediately ran over to the adult and nuzzled against her front legs while the mother nuzzled her proboscis affectionately on her baby's back. Ozzy and Charlie smiled. They had been told by their parents about tapir behaviour and how mother tapirs cared for her babies. Then after the moment of reunion, the mother and baby trotted into the vegetation. Despite the slight scratch on the baby's hip and the pain from it, it did not seem to hinder the baby's ability to walk too much, much to the two chicks' gladness. Ozzy and Charlie looked at each other and grinned as they relished the feeling of happiness in helping the tapir calf and prepared to take off to return to the older macaws in the above canopy. However, before the two chicks could take off, they were made aware of another sound. This time, it was another rustling of some ferns. At this, Ozzy and Charlie turned round and faced the green fronds as they shuddered. Then what happened next would send immense fear tearing through the young macaw chicks. A group of three flying creatures emerged from the ferns, but they weren't feathered and their wings weren't made of feathers. When Ozzy and Charlie saw what they were, a sharp, terrified gasp entered each of their beaks as the creatures' eyes fixated on them.

"Well, what do we have here?" said one, "A pair of lone chicks on the forest floor?"

"Bad idea to wander away from your parents, little feathered runts," crooned another, an evil grin spread across its face. Evil titters then escaped its throat. The other two creatures also grinned and released evil titters. Ozzy and Charlie, at this felt fear fire up within them.

Back in the canopy, Mercury, Pluto and Neptune and the others continued flying about, calling for Ozzy and Charlie. Ultramarine carried Violet in her talons to ensure that she didn't wander off. As they flew along, Phoebe was trembling as panic continued to send tears falling from her eyes and make her muscles tremble.

"I did command them to stay within our sight, Dad," she cried to Mercury, "And I did watch over them carefully but when I turned my head away for one minute, both of them had simply vanished!"

"You know what kids are sometimes like, Phoebe," retorted Mercury angrily, "They have a tendency to wander off!"

"Oh, this is ALL MY FAULT!" cried Phoebe, tears flying from her eyes, "If only I hadn't turned my face away from the two boys, I wouldn't have lost them! What if they DO end up…?"

"Let's just find them," said Sapphire comfortingly. And with that, Phoebe followed her parents and Squaw'tagnan as they flew around the tree, searching in every nook and cranny for any signs of Ozzy and Charlie. Not too far away, Neptune, Ultramarine, Triton, Indigo, Victor and Penelope searched in another tree, calling out the boys' names while Pluto, Lapis Lazuli, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry, Flor, Aiden, Neytiri and Jasmine and Annette searched in another tree when Aiden had an idea.

"Could the two boys have wandered down to the forest floor?" he asked the others. The others stopped and looked at him.

"We could check down there," said Jasmine. Pluto and Lapis Lazuli, who looked as flustered as Mercury and Sapphire for their youngest son Charlie, agreed to this.

"Good suggestion, Aiden," said Pluto and with that, he folded his wings and dived down through the canopy. The others followed. Neptune, Ultramarine, Triton, Indigo, Victor and Penelope continued their search in the tree. Victor shuddered as he remembered what had happened to a class group in Alonso's tribe.

"Those bats could easily kill a chick," he murmured as he checked a hole in the trunk, "I believe that the green macaw class that had been victimised by some of those bats led by that barbaric patriarch of the colony could have killed some of the kids had those adults not collaborated together to protect them…"

"Chicks, elderly and the weaker members of a bird flock are often the easier targets," said Neptune, dread and worry pricking at him. "I just hope that young Lear's macaw and glaucous macaw hadn't gone far."

"Kids often have the tendency to wander into danger without being aware of it," said Ultramarine as she carried Violet, "Especially if they are engrossed in following something interesting like a butterfly. I was sometimes like that when I was a hyacinth macaw chick."

"Neytiri frequently had that same problem when she was young," said Penelope, "Always so inquisitive."

No sooner than these words had left her beak when the six adult hyacinth macaws heard several bloodcurdling screams explode through the canopy. The scream had also alerted Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan and the two came rocketing back to the hyacinth macaws. The scream obviously came from below the canopy.

"That was LAPIS LAZULI AND HER GROUP!" cried Mercury in utter dread, "Sounds like they've come across something terrifying."

"Jasmine and Annette are also screaming," said Penelope who was able to pick out two of the screams' owners.

Then dread swept over Sapphire, Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan and without another second's hesitation, the three dived down like navy blue and dark teal rockets through the canopy. Mercury and the hyacinth macaws followed. As soon as Lapis Lazuli's group had emerged into view on the forest floor, the four Lear's macaws and six hyacinth macaws braked into a horrified hover. Their dread-filled gazes were fixed upon the group of distressed glaucous macaws and two Lear's macaws and the moment Sapphire, Mercury, Phoebe and Squaw'tagnan's eyes landed on a bundle of feathers in Jasmine's wings, the four darted over to her and touched down around her while the hyacinth macaws touched down around the glaucous macaws, Lapis Lazuli cradling another bundle and crying hysterically. Jasmine and Annette, tears streaming down their eyes, then presented Mercury and Sapphire the bundle, which was none other than Ozzy's body while the bundle in Lapis Lazuli's wings was the body of Charlie. With a short, splintered gasp, Sapphire took the limp body of her youngest son and began to try and shake Ozzy awake, calling his name over and over again. Phoebe looked on, trembling violently, tears streaming down her face, her breathing rate increasing uncontrollably, her body swaying as though she were about to faint.

"We've found them lying in a patch of ferns, lying still," explained Neytiri who felt sick to the stomach with the shock. Then after Sapphire realised that Ozzy was unresponsive, she could only draw out one conclusion, but it was a conclusion that was like a sharp piece of stone to the heart. Overcome with heartbreak, Mercury's mate fell to her feat, buried her face in her youngest son's body feathers and began to sob uncontrollably. Phoebe also went limp, having fainted as the shock and guilt took its toll on her and had to be supported by Squaw'tagnan and Annette while Lapis Lazuli, Pluto, Charon, Quincy, Flor and Blueberry sobbed over the body of Charlie cradled limply in Lapis Lazuli's wings. Then Neptune leaned closer to have a proper look at Ozzy's body. Three red stripes ran over the chick's face and a large bruise bloomed on the back of his head, neck and upper back

"Looks like he may have been brutally attacked and knocked against a hard surface," he said.

"The impact being hard enough to kill him," said Ultramarine. She then flashed a glance at Charlie's body in Lapis Lazuli's wings. "And I believe Charlie might have been attacked in the same way as well."

"B-b-b-but who would do this to two little chicks?" asked Mercury in a splintered voice, "There are no humans around here; we're well away from any jaguar's den…"

While the others discussed amongst themselves, Neytiri heard a soft giggle hissing through a patch of ferns. At this, she turned her eyes and traced the giggles' source. These giggles were not childlike giggles or giggles of light-hearted amusement, but giggles of a sinister nature. As Neytiri continued to trace the source of the giggle sound, she drew in a sharp gasp as her eyes landed on something frightening. Glaring at her from the shadows of the ferns was a pair of eyes, and these eyes were full of scorn, evil mockery and malice. Neytiri, at this, began to examine the owner of the eyes closer, her skin crawling and her nerves and muscles beginning to shake as she felt intimidation and the urge to flee take hold. She managed to trace out the shape of a pair of pointed ears that stood erect above the eyes, along with a wing to the left of the creature, but based on its shape, it was not a bird's wing. Then Neytiri saw several other pairs of eyes, also filled with intimidating mockery, hiding under some more ferns. Intimidated, Neytiri shot the others a frightened gaze.

"Guys, let's get out of here," she murmured, "I don't feel safe."

"What is it, Neytiri?" asked Mercury. However, Neytiri did not answer and just lofted into flight, the instinctive urge to flee having taken hold.

"Neytiri," cried Mercury and with that, he opened his wings and took off after her. Then Neptune turned to Sapphire and Lapis Lazuli.

"Let's get these two to our clan and tribe's home," he said. Sapphire, still sobbing, nodded and with that, the group took off. Sapphire carried Ozzy's limp corpse while Lapis Lazuli carried Charlie's. Squaw'tagnan and Annette also carried Phoebe, who was still held in a state of fainting, in their talons, while the others followed. As the group flew away, Triton, who was the last to take off, slowed to a hover and gazed back. He thought he had seen a flash of drab colour out the corner of his eye and had turned to look. A rustle of shrub leaves sounded, making Triton dart his gaze in its direction. A flash of drab colour, mostly brown and black, blinked behind some of the green leaves of the shrub's branch. However, it had disappeared in a blink of an eye before Triton could make out what it was, but it had sent shivers down his spine and skin. Spooked, the young hyacinth macaw darted off after the others.

 **Meanwhile**

Back in the Pit of Games, the game between the red tribe and the green tribe had come to an end with the red tribe winning with the score of three to the greens and four to the reds, Jupiter having scored the tiebreaking goal for the reds. The red tribe had been in an uproarious cheer while the green tribe had emitted disappointed groans alongside cheers for their opponents for winning. The red and the green teams had congratulated each other for playing well. Then moments later, a cloud of green and red birds lifted out of the Pit of Games' stands like starlings and left the Pit to return home. As the huge flock of scarlet, green-winged, great green and military macaws flew over the trees in the direction of the red tribe's territory, Alonso was smiling at Jupiter and his family.

"That was an excellent shot into the goal, Jupiter," said the green tribe patriarch as Verde, his mate, flew alongside him with Martese and Lima, their son and daughter. Jupiter, a wide smile on his beak, brushed his flat head feathers with a talon.

"It was a moment of panic when I was surrounded by a dozen green opponents trying to take the ball off me," he said, "I'd never thought it would sail pass Nalda the green goalie and into the goal when I kicked it."

"You played really well, my dear," said Ruby. She then gazed at Callisto, Mars, Alexandre and some of the other red macaws who had debuted in the match, as well as Uranus, Esmeralda, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Ash, especially Umbriel. "In fact, you all played really well."

"Yeah, they did," said Chiquitita as she carried Gabrielle, a proud smile on Mars and Alexandre. "Too bad about the little accident between Mars and one of the green macaws though."

"It was bound to happen," said Mars, "But at least the game went well despite that and several other collisions that happened. Then Felipe, along with Pearl, Regina, Benjamin and Alfonso flew in. "Yeah," said the red macaw tribe patriarch cheekily, "Our newcomers played really well, novice or pro at soccer, I could never tell."

The others smiled in amusement at Felipe's rhyme talk. Then Felipe gazed at Jupiter directly and said, "Not bad for your first time in the Pit, Jupiter. Not bad at all."

"He certainly was awesome," said Umbriel.

"I'd never thought he'd score the winning goal for you reds," said Miranda.

"We should tell Uncle Beto in the Spix macaw tribe when we go to visit them," said Ariel.

"And I'm sure he'll be utterly impressed," said Titania.

"Yeah, absolutely," said Oberon. Aramis just tittered. He had been one of the green macaws who had tried to block Jupiter from scoring the final goal.

"He certainly did catch us out there in the final moments," he said.

"That's one of the most exciting parts about playing soccer," said Callisto, "Trying to protect the ball from your opponents."

"Especially if you're near their goal," said Io. Europa, Ganymede, Athos, Benjamin, Sheldon, Byron, Estelle and Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre nodded in agreement. Then Mars did a talon fist bump with Jupiter.

"We certainly did play very well, didn't we?" he said. Jupiter just smiled and said nothing as Uranus said, "Yep, it had been awesome."

"Well, the next match will be between the glaucous macaw tribe and the blue-and-gold macaw tribe," said Esmeralda as she carried Edmund, Amalthea and Oliver (the latter two who were the second-brood offspring of Jupiter and Ruby) in her talons, "I wonder how Pluto, Neytiri and several other macaws will do in their Pit of Doom debut."

"Same with Saturn, Enceladus, Mimas, Dione, Brooke, Titan and Porthos," said Ruby, "I've heard they've joined the blue-and-gold team as well."

"Well, we'll have to find out once their game finishes in five days' time, folks," said Felipe. He then felt his stomach rumble. "Anyway, time for lunch, I can't wait to fill my beak on a bunch."

When some of the others shot him a confused look, Pearl said, "He means a bunch of berries and fruit."

"I see," said Verde as she flew alongside Martese and Lima.

"Mind you, we're getting hungry as well," said Alonso as he felt his stomach rumble as well. "I know, why don't we have a celebratory meal together?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea," said Pearl.

"Yes, it's our special treat from us," said Verde, "To celebrate your win over us."

And with that, the other red and green macaws all cheered and continued flying on in the red tribe's territory, the red and green tribes in tow.

 **Later**

The red tribe's territory was dotted with red macaws with blue or teal, green or yellow wings and green macaws with blue, red and yellow markings and wings and tails. The green tribe had brought some fruit from their territory to share with the red macaws so prevent too much food in the red macaws' territory from being depleted too much. As the red and the green macaws feasted, some of the red macaws danced in the air to the red tribe's theme song, 'The RedMacaws with the Blue, Yellow and Green Wings'. The male scarlet and green-winged macaws wore patches of yellow pollen paint on their faces and leaf/vine necklaces around their necks while the female green-winged and scarlet macaws wore pink flower pollen on parts of their faces and leaf, vine and flower necklaces around their necks and smaller rings of the same materials around their ankles. Among the dancing red birds, Ganymede, Sheldon, Athos, Byron, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos, Benjamin and Alfonso danced with the males while Io, Europa, Callisto and Estelle and Regina danced with the females. Jupiter, Ruby, Pearl, Felipe, Mars and Chiquitita were not participating for they had young chicks or other duties to contend with and some of the green macaws, among them Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Ash, watched. Then after the red macaw dancers had come to the end of their song, their audience applauded and the green-winged and scarlet macaws dispersed to meet their friends.

Soon, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos, together with Byron, Sheldon, Athos and Estelle, Benjamin, Regina and Alfonso, were perched with Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Ash and Aramis, chatting away and eating some fruit. Ganymede gazed into the sky and saw that it was patchily cloudy with only parts of the sun beaming through gaps between the opaque fluffs.

"Looks like it's clouding over," he said as he ate a Brazil nut with his sisters, "I hope it's not going to rain."

"I shouldn't think so," said Io, "It's just a bit of cloud cover."

"But at least we've had an excellent game," said Aramis as he ate a piece of pineapple. He then gazed sympathetically at Miranda who stared at the healing scratches across her torso where Cicatriz had struck her the other day when she tried protecting the chicks when the class came under attack from those bats the other day. "Too bad you couldn't participate for that scratch, my lovely Miranda. Hopefully you'll be able to in our next match against our next opponents."

Miranda sighed and returned to eating her mango pieces.

"Who will we be going up against next?" asked Ariel.

"It's not yet been confirmed," said Umbriel as she sat with her scarlet boyfriend Benjamin, eating a Brazil nut together. "But time will tell."

As she said this, Benjamin, along with his brother Alfonso and sister Regina, stole a glance at Felipe and Pearl as they chatted with a patrol group of red and green macaws who had remained behind to keep an eye on the green and red tribes' territories while everyone else were away in the Pit of Games.

"I hope those patrol groups have good news regarding the flying fox situation," said Benjamin hopefully.

"Yeah, hopefully those bats haven't been causing too much trouble," said Titania sourly.

"They certainly were causing trouble for us greens in the previous days," said Ash. "You guys remember the incident when one of our classes was attacked by a group of those furry mobsters, right?"

The red macaws nodded. "We heard that Alonso had had a temper outburst with those bats," said Ganymede.

"He did," said Oberon, "He certainly did."

"Those flying foxes just jumped out at us and attacked us without any provocation whatsoever," said Ariel, "Resulting in everything flying into chaos."

"And our territory had become so infested with those intrusive bats," said Ash, "That when Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira came to visit us with six of those archaeobirds, two of which were youngsters, Alonso had commanded that the latter be taken back to Andromeda's clan right away for their safety."

"I'm not surprised," said Io, "Those bats are incredibly dangerous, especially chicks."

No sooner than this sentence had left her beak when suddenly, the group was made aware of the sounds of large flapping wings. At this, Callisto and Athos traced the sounds and spotted a group of three large navy blue birds fly towards Felipe and Alonso. With them were four smaller birds, all turquoise with grey heads.

"Three of Flavio's clan members and four of Rudi's tribe members?" said Europa curiously, "What are they doing here?"

"Don't tell me something's happened, has it?" said Phobos.

"Based on the looks of their faces though, they look alarmed," said Deimos.

"Well, I hope it's not too serious," said Alexandre. Then Benjamin, Regina and Alfonso had an idea. As the group of hyacinth and glaucous macaws approached Felipe and Alonso and touched down before them, Benjamin said, "Let's investigate and see why those seven have come here."

"I have a feeling that they have something to report, anyway," said Regina. And with that, the three first-brood offspring of Felipe and Pearl and Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto's biological cousins opened their wings and lofted into flight in Felipe and Alonso's direction, leaving the others to stare on. Then Athos recognised one of the glaucous macaws and one of the hyacinth macaws.

"Hey, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, and Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon," he said, "Aren't two of those macaws your uncle Neptune and uncle Pluto?"

The twelve macaws gazed at the said two macaws as they talked with Felipe and felt recognition prick at them.

"They are," said Io in surprise.

"Then why are they here as well?" asked Europa. Then Ganymede saw something not right about the facial expressions on Neptune and Pluto.

"They look very upset, especially Uncle Pluto," he said. "Looks like something awful has happened."

"Don't tell me he's had a falling out with Aunt Lapis Lazuli again, has he?" asked Callisto, remembering the other day when the two got into an argument over something. The two did eventually reconcile, however. Then Phobos and Deimos saw the horrified reactions of Felipe, Alonso, Pearl and Verde, as well as Jupiter, Ruby, Chiquitita and Mars. It was at that moment that Benjamin and his two siblings came rocketing back towards the group. As the three perched clumsily onto the branch, Estelle, Byron and Sheldon, Aramis and Ash stepped forward and supported the three as they regained their balance.

"Whoa, steady on," said Aramis.

"You nearly fell forward from the perch," said Estelle.

"Sorry," said Benjamin, "But we've just overheard the reason for those seven macaws' presence, two of which are Neptune and Pluto."

"And it's not at all good," said Regina.

At this, the others gathered around the three.

"Then what's happened?" asked Alexandre. Alfonso prepared to deliver the news but nothing could prepare the group for what came out of his beak, but Alfonso already knew what the reaction was going to be before he even spoke.

"Pluto and Mercury's families have lost their youngest chicks," he said, "Neptune suspects that they may have been killed by a group of flying foxes."

Horror tore through the group, making their heads jolt upward and their faces morph into horrified looks.

"Why," began Alexandre, "That's Ozzy and Charlie, the younger brothers of Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette, and Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor!"

"No," snapped Io in disbelief.

"You're kidding us," said Europa.

"How could they have died!?" asked Ganymede. Then Phobos and Deimos felt their stomachs turn and their heads become light, as though they were at a very high altitude while Callisto felt tears well in her eyes. Athos, Sheldon, Byron, Estelle, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Ash and Aramis just said nothing, their beaks and eyes wide open at the news. Then Felipe and Alonso's shouts snapped the group out of their horrified trances.

"CAN WE HAVE EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION PLEASE!?" barked Felipe at the top of his voice, flying around the air with Alonso by his side. At this, red and green heads all stopped conversing and converged on the two tribe patriarchs. Across the clearing, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto stole a gaze at Jupiter, Ruby, Chiquitita and Mars who were comforting the weeping Pluto, horrified gazes on their faces at what had happened to Ozzy and Charlie.

 **Later**

A sea of red and green birds with colourful markings and wings stood before an elevated log on which Felipe and Alonso had perched. Among the ocean of red and green feathers was a tiny island of navy blue, turquoise and grey, obviously Pluto, Neptune and their companions. This area of the red tribe's territory was their important meeting spot, where the red tribe gathered so that announcements could be made. But because there were two tribes present, some of the red and green macaws had taken to perching on rocks and the lowest branches of the surrounding trees due to space constraints. Io, Europa, Callisto, Ganymede, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon stood with their friends and parents amongst the crowd while Benjamin, Regina and Alonso stood closer to the front with Verde, Martese and Lima. Then Neptune was called to the log platform by Felipe and Alonso and he obediently took off from the crowd and flew to the front. As the large navy blue form of Neptune flapped heavily towards the log platform, Felipe and Alonso stepped aside and allowed him to perch. Murmurings rolled through the red and green crowd when Alonso barked for all of them to be silent.

"Quiet, everyone," he shouted as loud as he could for all to hear. His shouts echoed throughout the air above the sea of red and green with the tiny blue, turquoise and grey island and the murmurings stopped, "Neptune from the Navyfeather Clan here has something to tell us."

This said, Alonso and Felipe stepped aside and allowed Neptune to take his stand.

"Right, thanks for turning your attention to me, everyone and we apologise sincerely for interrupting your post-game celebrations," he shouted. All red and green eyes fixed on Neptune as he continued.

"But the reason why we have come here, me, Pluto and our other five companions is because Flavio and Rudi have sent us to deliver this urgent message. They have also sent messenger groups to the other bird groups including the archaeobird clan with this same message as well."

The red and green macaws braced themselves as Neptune then gave out the message.

"I'm afraid we have lost two little chicks. One was Pluto's youngest son while the other was the youngest son of Mercury and Sapphire from the Lear's macaw tribe. It happened a few hours ago and we have come to the possible conclusion that it was the flying foxes' doing."

Horrified murmurs rolled through the crowd and mothers clasped their youngest chicks to their chests. Chiquitita did just that with Gabrielle as did Ruby with Oliver and Amalthea and Esmeralda with Edmund.

"I know it's terrifying," shouted Neptune, "Our clan and tribe members reacted in the same way as well but there is something very important for you lot to know. You MUST keep an eye on your young chicks and adolescents at ALL TIMES, especially if you're taking a group of them out into your territories…"

"And I have to admit that one of my tribe classes that had a few dozen chicks had come under unprovoked attack by a group of flying foxes as well the other day," interject Alonso, "And despite my strong warnings to those bats, they refused to go back into their side and continued their intrusions. We have been having that quite a lot in the past few days."

"So the important thing is, make sure your kids, and any other vulnerable members of your tribe, stay within sight at ALL TIMES," said Neptune, "And watch out for any of those flying foxes prowling around our territories. It is obvious that these intrusions are becoming more and more frequent…"

Horrified gasps rolled through the crowd.

"But what about the Amazon Soccer League?" asked someone. Felipe, at this, opened his wings and shouted, "We'll have to see about that as time goes by. In the meantime, take Flavio and Rudi's advice that Neptune here is delivering to you."

"Yes," said Neptune seriously, "And it's important that you follow it or else you could lose your precious chicks, and that's the last thing anyone needs."

More murmurs rolled through the crowd but all the red and green macaws had agreed to protect their chicks, as well as their eggs and other vulnerable members of their tribes. Then Felipe and Alonso thanked Neptune and dismissed the crowd. As the green macaws then prepared to go home, Alonso was flooded with dread.

"I can't believe what has happened to Mercury and Pluto's youngest sons, Neptune," he told the hyacinth macaw as he stood with his six companions including Pluto who was still in distress at losing his youngest son Charlie. "But thanks for letting us know and tell Flavio we send our regards. We will follow his advice."

"Then make sure that you do," said one of Neptune's companions, a female hyacinth macaw gruffly, "This is very serious."

"The other tribes, clans and small groups have already been covered by our clan and tribe leaders," said one of the glaucous macaws, "So you need not worry about that."

"Thanks," said Felipe as he looked over Pearl in the hollow. She wore a worried look on her face as she gazed at the clutch of two eggs in her and Felipe's nest.

"Anyway, if you don't mind," said Alonso," We'd better get back to our territory. It's been a hectic day with the game."

"I see the red tribe has won," said Neptune with a smile, the dread of the news briefly forgotten."

"Yeah, Jupiter scored the winning goal," said Alonso. He then flashed a glance at Jupiter as he perched with Ruby who held Amalthea and Oliver, and Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, talking with them. Nearby, Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, with Gabrielle held firmly in Chiquitita's wings, were also chatting with Sheldon, Ramon and Dani. Two young half-scarlet, half-green-winged macaw chicks squirmed in Dani's wings. They were obviously Sheldon's younger sisters that had hatched a few weeks ago for Ramon and Dani had had another clutch of chicks. Then Alonso felt it was time to go.

"Well, it's time we were gone," he said to Felipe and Neptune and his companions, "I'll see you guys some other time. I hope our neighbours; the Lear's macaw tribe are alright."

And with that, the great green patriarch opened his wings and took off to round up his tribe.

"And I'll fly around to check on my tribe," said Felipe. He then flashed a glance at Pearl to check on her in the hollow and then took off. Neptune and his six companions, their task done then opened their wings and flew away. On the way, they waved goodbye to their friends, among them Jupiter, Mars and their families who waved in return.

"I hope Pluto and Mercury are alright," said Ramon concerned. "I hope this flying fox thing isn't gonna get any worse."

"What do you mean?" asked Mars. Dani, Ramon's mate and Sheldon's green-winged mother, gave him, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre a dark look.

"This is exactly what the bird tribes and clans had faced before those savage furballs drove them out, folks," she said, "Like us; they've faced intrusions from those bats in their territories that became more and more frequent before finally escalating into violent attacks and eventually the great driving out. Since then, the survivors of those tribes and clans who had come to live here had never seen any of their tribe or clan-mates again."

Mars and his family, together with Ramon and Sheldon, shot Dani a worried and dreaded look.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12- two opposite plans in the making in the flying fox colony**

 **Late afternoon approaching evening**

While Flavio and Rudi's advice continued to spread throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon, reaching to its very corners through messengers, in the land beyond the edge of the territories of the green and the blue-and-gold tribes and the blue-throated and Bluewing hyacinth macaw clans' territories marked by clusters of feathers tied to the trees that ran along the boundary to this land, was the land of the flying foxes' territory. the territory of the bats extended for square miles but in the past, most of the flying fox colony's territory had originally been the territories of a variety of bird clans and tribes, among them the glaucous macaw tribe. The entire land was completely devoid of birds. Not even harpy eagles lived in the territory. However, there was one flying creature that still dwelt in the land, but they weren't birds, but bats, the flying foxes themselves. In the heart of the flying fox colony's territory was a large cave and a massive cluster of trees in which most of the flying foxes lived. Flashes of drab colours, mostly of brown, chocolate brown, black, reddish and orange dotted the greenery of the land but these weren't as colourful or as cheery as the bird tribes or clans that lived in their territory. These drab colours were more dismal, downcast and sinister. Furthermore, the atmosphere appeared to be affected. Instead of being bright and sunny with a beautiful shade of blue, the atmosphere hanging over the flying foxes' territory was grey and miserable.

In one specific tree lived the deranged leader of the colony, Cicatriz. His mate was named Iracebeth and they had two pups, a young, adolescent male named Iago and a female pup named Veruca. However, Cicatriz's mate, son and daughter were as deranged and as aggressive as the patriarch. Cicatriz stood on the rim of the entrance of his hollow, his left eye, the only one functioning, gleefully scanned the activities below. His right eye, the one in which he was blind, was faded, obtained from a vicious fight with an amazon parrot when Cicatriz was an adolescent. Cicatriz was a violent bat. He had always been quick to picking fights with birds ever since he was a pup and throughout his life; his brown pelage had become more and more riddled with scars. His face was especially laced with the gashes of scarred skin. Three ran over his right eye, the one in which he was blind while several more marked his cheeks, head back and nape. His body was also slashed with larger scars, both on his front and back. Cicatriz's mate Iracebeth looked no different. Her reddish fur was hideously slashed and crisscrossed with dozens of scars for she had been in numerous fights with birds as well. However, unlike her mate, both of Iracebeth's eyes were fully functional. Earning scars seemed to be a thing in the flying fox colony, as most of the flying foxes believed that it was a sign of toughness. Flying foxes that had very few scars were treated as cowardly who refused to fight against birds, and there were a few of these bats in the colony who hated the idea of fighting birds in unprovoked attacks.

Stretched below the colony leaders' tree, flying foxes were up to their daily activities. However, their activities were not just the usual duties of patrolling the territory, foraging and raising pups like how the birds raised their chicks, but also teaching pups how to fight against birds. Most of the space was occupied by classes in this subject. Bat pups were savagely beating dummy birds made from fruit and plant material, by using their teeth, foot claws and weapons such as sharp-sticks. Veruca and Iago, Cicatriz and Iracebeth's daughter and son, absolutely enjoyed these lessons, as did the majority of other pups. Alongside fighting classes, pups were also taught that birds were vermin and the scum of the Amazon, which was what motivated the bats in fighting against birds. While Cicatriz continued overlooking the training classes blow, Iracebeth was feeding Veruca and Iago some fruit. The two were having a break from the fighting classes for a bit but the two wore thrilled expressions on their faces and Iracebeth was absolutely proud of it.

"Boy, Cicatriz, dear," she said as she fed a mango piece to Veruca, "One of these days, our two kids will be taking after you and your father before you."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it, my lovely Iracebeth," said Cicatriz evilly, his single eye turned and focussed on his mate, "Hopefully when Iago takes over our role as colony leaders with a mate of his own, he'll pass that aggressive style of fighting against those feathered pests to his own pups."

Iago smiled wickedly at this idea whole Veruca just giggled. Iago looked a lot like Cicatriz except that he was not blind in his right eye. His fur was mostly brown like his father's and his eyes were a shade of green. He was an adolescent, not far from becoming mature. Veruca was shorter than her older brother. She had pale orange fur with a white patch on her chest. Her eyes were brown like Cicatriz's and she and her brother had very few scars for they have yet to earn them through more fights with birds. Both the brother and sister were no different from their parents, and they both likely had Iracebeth's violent temper for their mother was like a volcano when she got angry. However, she was not angry now for there was nothing to make her angry.

"So when will we be getting our new territory, Dad?" asked Veruca eagerly.

"Oh, you'll have to wait and see, my daughter," said Cicatriz with an evil grin stretching from cheek to cheek. "Our spies are still out investigating the territory of those feathered vermin creatures."

He then produced a giggle as he remembered the enraged looks on Demetrio's face and his temper when he, his family and bodyguard went to taunt them the other day. Cicatriz often liked pushing buttons of the leaders of a bird tribe or clan's leader, one of his wicked methods of taunting birds. Cicatriz also remembered attacking one of Alonso's classes with some other bats and had told Iracebeth all about it, much to her laughter. Iracebeth then went over to admire her most precious possession after her mate and two pups. Reaching into a deep groove in the wall of the hollow with her hand-wings, Iracebeth pulled out a straight stick with a sharpened end and a spike ball attached close to the end with a strong piece of vine and coconut fibres. The majority of flying foxes had weapons which they carved out of sticks and used a variety of objects to make them lethal. Among the materials were piranha teeth, porcupine spines and sharp rocks but the most common weapon was what flying foxes called 'sharp-sticks' which were sticks that were sharpened at one end which the bats used like spears to stab their opponents.

Iracebeth's weapon was a sharp-stick with a lethal looking spike ball attached to the end. The spike ball was made from a ball of hardened mud wrapped around one end of a rope of interwoven coconut fibres and a vine which attached it to the sharp-stick. Porcupine spines and piranha teeth were jammed into the ball of mud to turn it into a ball of spikes. The arrangement of the spikes and its tether to the sharp-stick made the spike ball resemble some sort of mace. Attached to the opposite end of the sharp-stick was a colourful cluster of decorations, all feathers. One of them was a long, ragged feather that was greyish-white with dark grey to black stripes splashed at regular intervals along its length. Iracebeth gleefully admired the collection of feathers.

"You certainly have done well to earn that many trophies, Iracebeth, especially when you killed a harpy eagle," said Cicatriz as she admired her feather collection, "I remember you killing your first bird when you were a young adult bat."

Iracebeth snapped her gaze at her mate. "That was during our first combat outing," she said proudly, "If I remember, it was a glaucous macaw I killed."

"So, those feathers serve as trophies to show how many birds a flying fox has killed with their weapon?" asked Iago.

"Yes," said Cicatriz with an evil look on his face, "Whenever we make a kill, we always harvest a feather of our victims to tie to our weapons. If a group of flying foxes have participated in killing a bird, they each get a feather."

"Cool," said Iago.

"You'll soon earn your first feather when you put your fighting skills into practice, son," said Cicatriz. Iago nodded. Veruca also wanted to participate in killing a bird but due to her dismay, she was too young at the moment. Then Cicatriz went over and reached into the groove to pull out his weapon. Like Iracebeth's, Cicatriz's weapon was a sharp-stick. However, it lacked the mace and instead had porcupine spines stuck via dried mud towards the sharpened end to make the weapon more lethal. A colourful collection of feathers hung from the other end of the sharp-stick.

"You know something, dear," said Iracebeth, "I look forward to driving out another bird tribe or clan. That's something we haven't done in a long while."

"Mom and Dad," said Cicatriz, referring to Bruto and Sombra who led the colony before him when he and his younger brother Augustus were younger, "have always wanted to drive out the bird tribes and clans that live closest to our territory boundary but due to the truce they set up with the leaders of those groups, they never really had the chance."

"Well, I'm sure they would have wanted us to go ahead with the plans now, Cicatriz," said Iracebeth, "We could do with more land in addition to the expanses that we already have at the moment. Those feathered wastes-of-space don't deserve to have beautiful homes, you know."

"Absolutely not," said Cicatriz with a malicious facial expression. Just then, a knock at the entrance to the hollow reached the ears of the current colony leaders.

"Enter," said Cicatriz. Then a group of six flying foxes, four male and two female, entered the hollow at Cicatriz's reply. Like Cicatriz and Iracebeth, their face and body pelages (coloured brown, chocolate brown, pale brown, orange or reddish) were streaked with scars from a history of fighting birds and one of the males, a pale brown one was missing the lobe of his left ear. Cicatriz smiled at the six bats as they stopped before him.

"Well, hello, Shinzon," he told the young adult pale brown male with the missing ear lobe, "I believe you have a report to deliver."

Iracebeth, Veruca and Iago immediately gathered around Cicatriz as the pale brown flying fox named Shinzon began to speak.

"We do, sir," he said, an evil grin marking his face. "In fact we have lots to report from our spying on those feathered pests' land."

"Then let's hear it," said Iracebeth slightly bossily. At this, a female bat with brown fur streaked with scars stepped forward to explain.

"Well, first off," she said, "We have carried out an examination of the jungle in the macaw tribes and clans' territories and found that the number of their trees had mysteriously not changed much at all. To add, there is absolutely no evidence of destruction from logging at all, whereas we still get a lot of that in parts of our territory."

"In other words," said Shinzon, "It appears that the territories of those bird flocks are still intact."

"Really?" said Cicatriz with surprise.

"How can that be?" asked Iracebeth.

"We've yet to find that out," said the female bat. Then Shinzon began to continue. As he spoke, another flying fox, an adult male with brown fur, a body shape similar to Cicatriz and blue eyes, pressed his back against the hollow wall outside and listened to the conversation. This male bat's pelage, unlike the pelages of most of the other flying foxes, was largely unmarked, indicating that he had not been in many fights.

"The second thing is," said Shinzon, "The flock of blue macaws, the Spix macaw tribe, appears to definitely be still alive. While we were exploring their territory, we saw dozens of blue macaws flying about." Shinzon then tipped his head to one side as he began to ponder. "Now that is as bizarre as the untouched trees and lack of evidence of logging activity in their land. We always thought that those Spix worms have all died in one of the fires years and years ago."

Surprise fired up within Cicatriz and Iracebeth.

"Are you meaning to say that more of those blue macaws had somehow _survived the fire_!?" blurted Iracebeth incredulously. "I mean we did see two of those blue feathered varmints while we were toying with that Bluewing hyacinth clan leader's temper the other day…"

"Well, we haven't found the Spix tribe's central living space which we don't know the appearance of yet," said another bat, a reddish male just Shinzon's age, "But we daren't venture that far into their territory to see as we'd probably end up getting spotted easily and then killed by those macaws..."

"Anyway," added Shinzon, "The third thing we have discovered is that flock of Lear's macaws and also those glaucous macaws, which we believed have died years ago, also appeared to have survived, especially the latter flock."

"We have discovered dozens of them flying about one of the hyacinth macaw clan's territory," said another of the bats, a large, muscular male with orange fur streaked with scars, "which suggests that the surviving glaucous macaws may have moved after they were driven out of their land years and years ago. And it appears that they are still thriving now."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth's faces creased into ones of malicious surprise. The glaucous macaw tribe was supposed to have been slaughtered and the rest driven out completely when Bruto and Sombra, when they had been leaders, invaded their territory and taken their land, and the flying foxes had expected the remaining glaucous macaws to have died either from poaching or logging. But the discovery of dozens of glaucous macaws thriving in the Navyfeather Clan's territory has called that belief into question. The bat eavesdropping outside the hollow flinched in surprise.

"The red tribe also seems to be thriving," said the other female, "we saw dozens of scarlet and green-winged macaws during our investigations".

"And finally," said Shinzon, "And most shockingly (you'll probably believe that we've been listening to too many fairy stories as pups), we have found some strange birds with features we have never seen in any other birds at all."

"What kind of birds are these?" asked Cicatriz.

"Well first off, they seem to have metallic plumages of various colours but that's not what's so unusual about them," said the light orange female bat.

"They had legs with flight feathers on them like all flying birds have on their forelimbs," said Shinzon, "Which means those birds have _two_ pairs of wings rather than one on their forelimbs."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth's faces changed to surprised glares.

"And that's not all," said the muscular male, "They had long, prehensile tails similar to a lizard but ending with tail flight feathers rather than just a set of tail flight feathers attached directly to the end of their bodies as in other birds. And they also have three wing fingers on their fore-wings."

"In addition to that," said Shinzon, "There is another type of mysterious flying creature living with them, a flying creature we had never seen in our lives at all: bizarre bird-like creatures resembling birds without feathers with wings made from skin membranes," he raised a wing and spread it out to reinforce his point, "Sort of like our wings but a different shape."

"Many of those 'featherless birds' seemed to have long bony tails ending in a diamond-shaped piece at the tip," said the female light orange bat, "While some did not have any signs of a tail at all."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth continued listening to the reports, taking time to absorb the information. There was a moment of silence hanging in the hollow above the bats but then finally, Cicatriz broke it.

"Alright, you six, thanks for the report," he said, "Now you six go out and congratulate the other spies on their job. It is time for our next step."

Shinzon and his companions, smiles on their faces, nodded and left the hollow. Cicatriz then prepared to fly out himself to have a meeting with the bats of the colony. Iracebeth was intrigued.

"Birds with flight feathers on their legs, tails like lizards and featherless birds without feathers and membranous wings like us bats, dear?" she said, "Now THAT definitely sounds like something out of a fairy story."

"Maybe they're a new species of bird?" asked Iago curiously. Cicatriz gazed at them.

"Well, whatever birds those mysterious creatures are, they're still feathered vermin," he snarled, saying the sentence with pure malice, "No different from any of the other birds of the Amazon but we'll find out what they are in the process. Now if you excuse me, I've got an announcement to make to our colony."

Iracebeth nodded and turned to see to Veruca and Iago while Cicatriz climbed out of the hollow's entrance and dropped into the air. Unlike birds, flying foxes could not lift themselves into flight. They needed to drop from an overhang so that their membranous wings could catch the air more easily. As Cicatriz flew along, he was stopped by a voice.

"Cicatriz," it said. At this, the bat colony patriarch slowed to a hover and turned to the speaker, the male bat who had been listening to everything outside the hollow.

"What is it, Augustus?" snarled Cicatriz irritably. Augustus, flinching at his older brother's growled reply, slowly approached him.

"Are you planning on invading those birds' territories?" he asked. Cicatriz looked away.

"What do you think?" he asked. "Why do you think we're sending spies into those feathered worms' territories?"

Augustus, the bat, flinched in revulsion when Cicatriz said 'feathered worms'. From a distance, a female bat with red-brown fur and a white patch on her chest and pale blue eyes hovered in the distance with three younger bats. All three bats had white fur, reddish eyes, clay-grey wing membranes and unmarked pelages. The adult female was also unmarked. One of the white bats was male and his was an adolescent while the other two bats were female pups just past flying age. They looked identical which implied they were identical twins. The four watched the conversation between Augustus and Cicatriz. Augustus had already deduced what Cicatriz's plans were.

"Are you mean you're gonna _invade_ those birds' land?" asked Augustus in disbelief. The look on his brother's face confirmed it.

"However, continued Cicatriz, "We need some information about those territories first, and also about the bird flocks themselves. There are some questions we want answering…"

"But Cicatriz," protested Augustus, "Don't you realise how _dangerous_ it is to drive out a bird tribe or clan? Don't you realise how many lives have been lost and how many membranous wings have been damaged in viciously fighting those bundles of powerful muscles and feathers armed with sharp beaks and lethal talons, especially hyacinth macaws?" Augustus glanced this way and that, repulsed at the thought of the invasion process as well as the gruesome memories of the previous bird tribes and clans which resulted in many flying foxes getting injured and even dying. A friend of his and Cicatriz's had died participating in the driving out of the red-fronted macaw clan years ago and it tore Augustus's heart in two.

"Why can't we just peacefully discuss this with the bird tribe and clan leaders without causing them trouble?" asked Augustus, "I-I-I-I'm sure they'll think of something to help our colony to look for a place to settle and escape the threat of loggers and poachers but invasion against their wishes and regardless of the consequences and outcome for both us bats and the birds? That's not right for both our species for one and it's against the truce we made with the bird tribe and clan leaders for another…"

He hoped that this would make his brother reconsider his plans. However, to the sinking of Augustus's heart, the reply from Cicatriz was merely a scoffing laugh and a hostile retort.

"How many times have we told you about those birds, you idiot brother?" snarled Cicatriz, his fur bristled, "They're nothing but vermin! A complete waste-of-space! They do NOT deserve to live in happiness with the abundance of food and shelter. They deserve to be slaughtered and their land for the taking. Haven't you forgotten the reason why those feathered worm are vermin, no different from rats, and why they deserve to be driven out!?"

Augustus's gaze darted this way and that as though he wanted to flee. Finally, he found something to say but it was splintered due to fear, especially from the blazing fire in his brother's only-functioning eye and his hostilely puffed out fur and Cicatriz certainly did have a violent temper on him.

"B-b-but C-C-C-C-Cicatriz," stammered Augustus, hovering back a little for fear that Cicatriz might lash at him, "Th-th-those b-b-birds have n-n-n-nothing to do with…"

Suddenly, Iracebeth's raucous voice broke through Augustus's attempts to speak like the fangs of a snake penetrating the skin of its prey. At this, the timid bat gazed at the scarred reddish female as she flew towards Cicatriz, a frown on her face. She had taken Veruca and Iago back to the training classes.

"I thought you were gonna call the colony together to make an announcement," said Iracebeth, her frowned look aimed at Cicatriz. She then shot Augustus a glare, making him flinch.

"I was," said Cicatriz, "Thanks for reminding me."

He then shot Augustus a fiery glare of his own. "I have an important announcement to make to our colony," he snarled. Augustus continued hovering there, considering to continue protesting about the plans but then Iracebeth's fiery gaze and puffed out reddish fur made him change his mind.

"You shall leave, Augustus!" snarled Iracebeth in a raucous voice that sounded like splintering wood. Augustus then quickly turned tail and flew off as though an eagle were after him. Cicatriz smiled.

"Thanks, Iracebeth," said he, "I thought he'd never leave."

Iracebeth just breathed an irritated sigh and began to fly with her mate. "You know something, dear," she muttered, "I often think there's something wrong with that bat and his family."

"Huh, tell me about it," muttered Cicatriz, "Especially since his son Sebastian and two daughters Stella and Luna hadn't been attending the fighting classes much."

And with that, Iracebeth and Cicatriz flew away.

Meanwhile, Augustus met the female bat and the three younger white bats. They were his mate and three offspring.

"Augustus," said the female, "We can't allow Cicatriz to drive out those bird tribes and clans and their co-inhabitants!"

"Haven't we caused those birds enough trouble as it is already?" said the adolescent white male.

"The leaders are probably enraged about this by now," squeaked the two young girls together. Augustus sighed and led the four bats, which were his family, back to their hollow. As they flew along, surrounding bats shot them dirty looks. Like Cicatriz and Iracebeth they disapproved of Augustus and his family's opinions against the plans, among other things. As the five bats touched down at the entrance of their hollow and then entered into it, Augustus began to talk with the adult female, his mate.

"I'm afraid we're gonna have to do something about this, Melissa," he said, "But you're not gonna like it."

"And what's that Augustus?" asked the female named Melissa. The young white albino bats named Sebastian (the adolescent male), and Stella and Luna (the twin females), gazed at their father with curious eyes. Augustus looked back into his beloved mate's eyes and put his membranous wings on her shoulders.

"You remember how your cousin Lily had managed to keep that group of birds hidden from our colony with some of her friends," he asked, "That is, those flying foxes who are against the colony's views of the birds of the Amazon?"

Melissa, at this, gazed back into Augustus's eyes. Then tears began to well in them.

"Yes," she murmured in a splintered and quiet voice, her eyes closed as tears began to spill. "She and her group did very well in protecting those birds from the rest of our colony."

"Especially that group of Cuban red macaws," said Sebastian. Melissa then began to sob, "But then… their secret hiding place was found by some of your brother's spies and then… then…"

And with that, she began to break down. Augustus pulled her into a hug and she began to sob into his chest. Sebastian, Stella and Luna gathered around their mother and joined the hug.

"What your cousin and her band did was very brave," said Augustus in a comforting voice, "But it's a shame they had to sacrifice their lives to save those birds they had kept hidden for so long from the rest of our colony." He closed his eyes. "They had managed to get those birds, including that group of Cuban red macaws, to safety. I feel it's time we followed in their footsteps in defending those birds who have done nothing wrong to deserve the nightmares our colony causes them, even if it means eventually putting our lives in mortal danger."

At this, Sebastian, Stella and Luna gazed up at him, knowing what he meant. Then the five continued to be locked in their group hug in their hollow.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13- an unpleasant surprise for some city friends who have come to visit**

 **Two days later**

The flying fox intrusions continued to get more frequent with more and more reports of them being brought back to the tribe and clan leaders by patrol groups. Since Ozzy and Charlie's demise two days ago, chicks and other vulnerable members such as elderly had been kept under strict supervision. Classes had been reduced to ensure the safety of young, especially after what had happened to one of the green tribe's classes and almost to a group of Navyfeather hyacinth macaws with chicks yesterday. A class of Navyfeather hyacinth chicks and their teachers had come under an unprovoked attack by a group of up to half a dozen large flying foxes. A young male hyacinth had suffered from several horrible scratches to his face while two more young adults had managed to escape with minor bruises. Fortunately, none of the chicks were hurt but they had been badly shaken. However, the young male had to be taken to the animal hospital to have his injuries treated. Since then, Flavio and Marinho had called for class outings of both the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous macaw tribe to be reduced and the chicks kept under strict watch to ensure that they didn't wander off. Furthermore, the worry of the flying fox problem had become so great that the Amazon Soccer League had been put on hold out of concerns for the safety of the birds that had to remain behind due to eggs and young chicks, alongside the territories of the absent tribes and clans themselves. As a result, the game between the glaucous macaws and the blue-and-gold macaws which was supposed to take place five days after the red and green tribes' game, had been cancelled or postponed. To add, the tribe and clan leaders were considering on sending Cicatriz and Iracebeth a strong message to stop their flying foxes from roaming around on their territories and to keep them within their boundaries. The threat of the flying foxes had long been anticipated and it appeared that it was coming true now. However, some city friends were about to be dragged into be dragged into increasing crisis as well.

 **Later**

A small group of birds were flying over the sea of green trees. There were eight birds. Five of them were cockatoos, two were peregrine falcons and the other was a toucan. Eustace, Milo and Rosa, the three sulfur-crested/Major Mitchell's hybrid offspring of Travis the sulfur-crested cockatoo and Sunset the Major Mitchell's cockatoo, were entering the Sanctuary de Amazon on a trip from Rio to visit their friends. With them were Clemont, the citron-crested boyfriend of Rosa, Serena, the sulfur-crested girlfriend of Eustace, Orion and Velocity the peregrine falcons and the daughter and son of Cometa and Lightning, and their toucan friend named Diantha.

Eustace, Milo and Rosa were now young adult hybrid cockatoos. Their features which showed their mixed species heritage had remained largely unchanged. Their plumages were a vibrant white, like how their father Travis's plumage had been though Milo and Rosa's plumages were tinted pink, which they had got from their mother Sunset. All three's crests were banded, also like their mother's but Eustace's bands were alternating shades of yellow while Milo and Rosa's crest bands were a vibrant yellow and red, with Milo's red bands being vermillion and Rosa's being more orange. The splashes of darker colour on the undersides of the three hybrid cockatoos' wings and tails had also become more vibrant but were still the same colour. Eustace and Milo's marks were still peach while Rosa's were also peach but paler than her brothers'. The combination of the three's parents' features were clearly visible on their plumages. Serena was a pure sulfur-crested cockatoo. Like all sulfur-crests, she had pure white plumage with yellow blotches under her wings and tail, and a vibrant star-fruit coloured crest atop her head. Her eyes were emerald green and she had a pretty look. Clemont the citron-crested cockatoo also had snowy white plumage but the marks under his wings and tail were paler yellow and his crest was a very rich orange colour. Faint splashes of pale orange-yellow marked his cheeks and Clemont's eyes had become a brighter shade of blue. Clemont's build was similar to that of Mimi and Carla's, chubby but not obese.

Orion and Velocity had also changed in appearance as they aged. A couple of years ago, they had both been brown with a paler brown underside with brown-black spots smothering throughout, which was the plumage of immature peregrine falcons. Now, that brown immature plumage had been replaced by the vibrant slate grey plumage of an adult peregrine, along with the ivory underside with black chevron dots growing in size towards the legs and tail underside. The brother and sister looked very similar to each other and their parents now but Velocity, despite being younger than Orion, was bigger than him. Orion also had an unusual feature on his belly. Close to the tops of his legs, some of the chevron marks were clustered into three black blotches, rather like a Dalmatian dog's spots, while another cluster of marks extended from below the three spots. The arrangement of his belly marks resembled the Belt stars and nebula Sword of the constellation of Orion, the part where the Orion Nebula resided in the night sky. The toucan friend of the seven birds, Diantha, was one of the many, many daughters of Rafael and Eva. Thus she was a toco/keel-billed hybrid toucan. Most of Diantha's plumage was black and her underside was reddish-cream like her mother Eva's. Her beak colours were a mixture of that of her mother and that of her father. Close to the end of her beak was orange and black but the orange faded to lime green towards Diantha's face. Diantha had Rafael's brown eyes and exact same feather ruffle but Eva's magenta eye-shadow-like eyelids. Unlike Eva who had a banshee-like screeching voice, Diantha's voice was more elaborate, like Carla and Lavender's voices.

Unlike most of her many, many siblings, nephews and nieces, Diantha was not at all mischievous and did not get up to serious troublemaking. Though she initially liked light-hearted pranks as a toucan chick, when some of her siblings wanted her to play naughtier tricks, such as tearing out the feathers of other birds or pelting them with seeds or berries, Diantha saw sense and backed away. Since then, she had rarely got involved with her siblings and was also disgusted at the lack of discipline given to many of her nephews and nieces by most of her brothers and sisters. She had once tried disciplining them herself but it all went awry and she came away covered in berry juice, vine tethers from where the mischievous chicks had tied her up and a few bruises from where the chicks had jumped up and down on her. Because of her sensible behaviour and wisdom as well as her rescuing of Eustace and his siblings and friends from one bout of mayhem caused by some of her nephews and nieces, Diantha had become friends with the seven. Since then, she had stuck with them.

As the eight birds flew along, each with a fanny pack around their waists carrying supplies, such as a mobile phone to contact Blu (to save numerous long flights to and fro from the Amazon rainforest, Travis had come up with the idea that the Rio group remain in contact with the Amazon group via mobile phones and had managed to get two of them, one for Blu to take back to his tribe and one for the Rio group), Eustace smiled as he looked forward to meeting the group's friends.

"Boy, I can't wait to see Carla, Bia, Tiago and company," he said to the other seven, "It's been a while."

"I'm wondering if they've had chicks yet," said Milo, "I know you and Serena haven't yet and neither have Clemont and Rosa."

He then gazed at his sister and her citron-crested boyfriend who just smiled.

"You know something," said Serena, "Have you noticed that Carla, Bia and Tiago are siblings of one brood while their respective other halves, Justin, Virgil and Matilda are siblings of another brood?"

"Yes?" said the others.

"Well if those three have chicks, the result will be double cousins," said Serena, "Bia and Ganymede explained to me the family terms during their visit to Rio last year."

"Well, that's right," said Clemont, "The offspring of three siblings of one brood coupled with three siblings of the other brood results in the offspring being doubly related to each other through both their parents."

"Interesting, isn't it?" said Rosa. The others nodded in agreement. Then Diantha breathed an irritated sigh. "Speaking of having chicks," she said, "I've noticed that Mom and Dad have had another clutch of three chicks despite their old age. I don't what is it with Mom and Dad with having children but surely they know that I have more siblings than I know what to do with. Not to mention that most of them are rambunctious."

"It's good that you are sensible enough to see that your parents are having too many offspring," said Orion with a frown, "When I came to visit your ever-growing family at your parents' tree and neighbourhood once, I could not believe my eyes."

"There are about fifty-seven of us including myself," said Diantha, "And probably about a hundred nephews and nieces who are the offspring of most of my fifty-six siblings. Dad said he is extremely proud to be the grandfather of so many chicks…"

"When we pair up with a peregrine falcon each and have kids of our own," said Velocity, "There's no way we're gonna have dozens and dozens of chicks. One we're meat-eaters and it would be an absolute strain on us to hunt for so many pigeons and rodents to feed them and two, the burden of trying to keep them under control would be too much."

"It might be easier for you fruit and bug-eating birds," said Orion, "But for obligate meat-eaters like us, no chance."

Eustace then breathed a frustrated sigh. "You need not worry about having kids yet, you two," he told the peregrine falcons, "But as far as that's concerned, our mom and dad, Sunset and Travis, have wanted a second brood but were unable to conceive." A disgusted look then crossed his face. "And since Rafael and Eva are having so many chicks by the dozen, at least they're enjoying THAT and making our parents _feel small!"_ Eustace snarled the final bit of this sentence with disgusted scorn.

"That's not true, Eustace," said Diantha, "Mom and Dad would never brag and boast about the number of their kids and grandkids."

"Well, in a way, they are," said Orion with a frown, "I've visited some of the other residents of the Blu Bird Sanctuary and most of them were utterly disgusted at those two toucans and many of their kids' prodigious rates of reproduction."

"Honestly, an enormous family like that might compete for resources if it gets big enough," said Velocity. The others nodded in agreement. Then the eight decided to focus on heading for the Spix macaw tribe's territory. However, the eight was in for a horrible shock. As the mixed group of cockatoos, falcons and toucan flew along, crossing over a large clear patch of deforested area that was recovering but still had some bare patches, Eustace looked up ahead and saw an enormous cloud of colourful spots emerge from the trees and fly over the treetops. The large flock was flying at an unusually high speed, as though they were being chased by something. At this, the eight stopped into a hover as Eustace continued gazing at the flock.

"That's strange," said the older son of Travis and Sunset, "What is causing that flock of parakeets and some other birds to fly so fast like that?"

Then Velocity flew to the front and gazed at the massive flock of colourful forms, which were indeed birds, with her amazing vision. Peregrine falcons could see for miles, an important ability needed for hunting prey from far above before making an attack dive. With this, Velocity read the facial expressions on the flock of birds' faces and saw that they were flooded with terror.

"I can see that they in a serious state of panic," she said, "I wonder if some sort of predator is chasing after them."

"Possibly a harpy eagle?" asked Milo, "I know those massive birds of prey can send a flock of small birds running, especially if their appetite becomes insatiable when they are seeking a meal to catch."

He shuddered at the memory of being attacked by a pair of these apex predators in Guyana when they were trying to escape Ilosovic the frigatebird and his gang. It had taken a lot of risky effort of the group to drive away the female harpy eagle and it had been a wonder that they had managed to escape with few scratches and bruises, but it had been a terrifying ordeal.

Then suddenly, the panicked flock of birds changed direction and began to fly straight towards Eustace's group at high speed. Velocity and Orion felt alarm explode through them.

"Get out of the way, QUICK!" shouted Velocity but before the group could dove down towards the floor out of the trajectory of the flock of frightened birds, the cloud swallowed them up for the frightened birds were flying so fast. Comets of various colours then began to streak past the group like a barrage of bullets. Cries of immense alarm erupted from the cockatoos' falcons' and toucan's beaks as Eustace and company began to rapidly dart this way and that to avoid the high-speed birds from colliding with them, talons over their fanny packs protectively so that their contents would not get crushed. One of the parakeets shot past Milo and sent him into a spin, another struck Eustace's wing and made him plummet towards earth but he managed to brake a second later, Serena, Clemont, Diantha and Rosa darted this way to dodge more birds and that while Orion and Velocity, while they also dodged, began to ask the passing birds what was chasing them.

"Excuse me, can you…" began Velocity to a toucanet but the bird was gone before she could speak. Velocity tried again with a parakeet but it shot passed and did not answer. Then Orion was stuck in the stomach by another parakeet and he was sent plummeting towards earth. Diantha then swooped down and caught him with her talons.

"Are you alright, Orion?" she asked. The male peregrine nodded.

"Fine," he said but he held the impacted area of his stomach with his talons. It was though he had received a punch to that area. Then Orion flew away to rest when Diantha heard the sounds of distressed cries coming from below. At this, her brown eyes travelled about until they landed on the source. It was a group of brightly coloured yellow birds and one of them, an adult, was crying for help. Another adult lay on the floor, clutching a part of her body with a twisted faces and beside the two adults appeared to be three chicks. These chicks appeared too young to fly for they were covered with downy feathers. When Diantha looked more closely, she realised that the five birds had red markings on their faces and green on their wings and tails. She identified them as sun parakeets and there were several families of these rare birds that lived on the Sanctuary de Amazon. Flashing the other seven a glance as they continued trying to ask the passing birds what was chasing them, Diantha descended towards the sun parakeet family on the ground. While all this was happening, the thing that was causing the flock of birds terror suddenly exploded from the trees. They were flying creatures but they did not have feathers. Instead, their bodies were furred and their wings membranous. The flying furry creatures' eyes were flooded with bloodthirsty malice and they were viciously chasing the birds from the trees, savagely attacking any bird they had managed to get hold of. There were about three dozen of these large flying mammals and they were about to meet Eustace's group any moment.

Back with Eustace's group, Eustace had managed to get his group out of the way of the feathered missiles that kept battering them.

"Let's get to safety," he shouted to the others, "I have a feeling that there IS a predator chasing these birds."

"Wait, where's Diantha?" asked Rosa. At this, the group looked around until Velocity's eyes landed on a spot of black with some colour on the floor.

"There she is," she pointed with a talon. At this, the other six followed her point and found Diantha on the ground.

"What is she doing?" asked Eustace. On the ground, Diantha was asking the adult sun parakeet that had called for help, a male, what had happened.

"My mate's been injured and we have three under-flight aged chicks," he said, gesturing to the other adult parakeet, a female, squatting on the floor, clasping her wing. The three chicks stood by, shaking in fear.

"Who or what has caused this?" asked Diantha, "And why are those birds flying away so fast?"

The male sun parakeet shot the toucan a dreaded look. Back in the air, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Velocity, Orion, Clemont and Serena were discussing with an amazon parrot about the rush.

"The territory has become increasingly infested with these giant bats," said the amazon, "And there is a large group of them chasing after us. That is why everyone is in such a hurry to escape."

Eustace and the other six's heads jolted up in horror.

"Giant bats?" asked Velocity.

"The flying foxes," said the amazon, "They despise us birds and for some reason have intruded into the Sanctuary de Amazon…"

As these words left the amazon's mouth, Orion's sensitive eyes caught sighted the movement of some shapes above the treetops, but these shapes weren't brightly coloured. At this, he traced the shapes and saw a flock of not colourful feathered forms, but drab-coloured furry forms with charcoal-black wings like umbrellas. Orion felt horror flare within him.

"Guys, look," he called. At this, the other six followed his gaze and also saw the cloud of furry winged creatures. Eustace's beak dropped open when he saw a parrot get caught by them and brutally killed.

"Good grief," he murmured. Then to his horror, some of the creatures began to descend towards the ground, heading directly to the spot where Diantha and the sun parakeets were. On the ground, Diantha was helping the sun parakeet family. She had ducked down to allow the three flightless chicks to climb onto her back while the male adult wrapped his talons around his mate. However, they were unaware of the danger that was heading their way. Eustace immediately made his choice.

"Orion, Velocity, guys," he barked to the other six, "Get these birds to a safe place and QUICK!"

At this, Orion, Velocity, Clemont, Serena, Milo and Rosa shot him a 'What!?' look before finally obeying. Eustace then began to shout for Diantha on the floor.

"DIANTHA!" he bellowed. When he got no answer, he dived down towards the floor. Rosa and Milo saw their brother shoot down.

"Eustace!" cried Rosa but Velocity hooked her talons onto her wing as she tried following him, fearing for her safety. As Diantha, the male parakeet, the three chicks and the female on their back o0r in his talons, were about to take off, a piercing scream exploded from the chicks' beaks. Then Eustace appeared.

"Diantha!" he bellowed, "Diantha, look!"

At this, the toucan and the male parakeet both took one look at whatever were heading towards them and the moment they saw them, horror tore through them. Without a second's hesitation, the toucan and the sun parakeet spread their wings and took off after Eustace, moments before the furry forms slammed into the ground where they had been only to miss. The savage furry creatures, which had the facial features similar to a husky dog, then began to screech in rage. Then Diantha, with the chicks on her back began to fly after Eustace with the male parakeet carrying his mate by her side. Orion, Velocity, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena then began to retreat after the flock of birds as the other flying furred creatures came close to them, terrified by the murderously bloodlust-filled looks on their faces. Soon, Eustace's group was flying with the other birds. Eustace and Diantha flew along with the sun parakeet family in tow for a good while until they heard a shout below them. At this, the cockatoo and toucan shot their gaze downwards and saw Velocity.

"IN HERE!" barked the peregrine falcon. Velocity was hovering in front of an opening to a passage underground surrounded by rocks. Several colourful forms had disappeared into the opening. At this, Eustace, Diantha with the chicks on her back and the male sun parakeet with his injured mate in his talons, sharply changed direction and rocketed towards Velocity. The falcon then led the group towards the opening, the fox-faced flying furred creatures in hot pursuit. As soon as they had touched down, Velocity, Eustace, Diantha and the parakeet family dived into the mouth and disappeared into the darkness. After this, Velocity, together with Orion, shoved a large rock into place to block off the entrance from the flying furred creatures before backing away from the entrance. Inside, the tunnel opened into a large cavity. Dozens of colourful forms decorated the walls and floor of the cave as dozens and dozens of birds of various species had taken refuge in this cave. It appeared to be an evacuation point for some of the non-tribe and clan residents in the event of a forest fire.

Eustace, puffing and panting, then helped the male parakeet place his mate carefully onto the cave floor while Diantha ducked down to allow the three chicks to jump off her back. The three chicks rushed over to their parents and hugged them. Nearby, Milo, Rosa, Serena and Clemont were checking over some more birds, amongst them some toucans and small bird species while Orion and Velocity kept a close watch on the entrance, which they had closed off with a rock but not completely. Through the crescent-shaped sliver of light between the rock and the rim of the cave's mouth, the two falcons saw flashes of drab colour. Despite the thinness of the sliver, the two falcons managed to get a glimpse of the features of the creatures as they began to scour the area for any flash of coloured feathers. The creatures had fur alright, and the colour of their fur varied from dark chocolate brown to pale orange. The faces of the creatures were similar to a fox, an English creature Velocity and Orion had seen in the photo album shown to them by Jupiter of their time in England.

Their membranous wings were supported by long fingers and were soil-black in colour but then Velocity noticed some abnormal stripes streaking through the fur of the creatures. At first, she thought they were markings but on closer inspection, she realised that they were gashes of skin. Velocity winced. She remembered seeing someone else with massive scars streaking one side of his torso as a result of a narrow escape from a predatory flying creature resembling a bird but with wings of skin like a bat's. It appeared that the furred creatures might have faced some narrow escapes from predators themselves. However, when Velocity saw how the scarred skin criss-crossed throughout the creatures' fur, that idea suddenly became dubious. There was no way a creature could have so many narrow escapes from predators and earn that many scars time and time again. Then another idea of the origin of the scars entered Velocity's head, but it was one that she didn't like at all.

As Velocity continued examining the creatures outside through the slit in the entrance while the other birds continued to cower in the cavity part of the cave, a Jandaya parakeet came up to Orion and whispered, "Those furry creatures are flying foxes and there is a colony of them living right next to the Sanctuary de Amazon just outside the territories of the blue-and-gold and green macaw tribes, and the blue-throated and Bluewing hyacinth macaw clans' territories. They absolutely loathe anything that has feathers and many have scars streaking through their fur, a result of countless fights with birds. Their leader's name, Cicatriz, is blind in one eye."

"Those bats hate us birds?" asked Orion confused.

"Why?" asked Eustace. The Jandaya parakeet shrugged.

"We don't know but they see us as vermin," he said. "That's all we know."

"And those bats have been driving out countless bird tribes and clans and taken over their land," said another Jandaya parakeet, a female, "And when they drive out a bird tribe or clan, they do so brutally."

"They also use weapons such as sticks with a sharp tip or sticks with a ball of porcupine spines tied to one end," said the first parakeet. He then gave a dark look. "They don't seem to have their weapons on them at the moment but as time goes by and their intrusions get worse, that might change."

"How long have those bats been intruding into the Sanctuary de Amazon?" asked Eustace.

"They've been intruding into our home since around…" said a toucanet, "last week."

"That is horrible, especially how they see us birds," hissed Serena disgustedly, "We need to do something about this."

"They're leaving," said Velocity's voice. At this, Eustace, Serena, Clemont, Milo, Rosa and Diantha turned and faced Orion and Velocity as the two falcons peered through the slit between the rock and the entrance's rim and watched the furry creatures, which were flying foxes, leave, having given up their search for the birds as bafflement as to where they had disappeared to had consumed them. After the awful scarred forms with fur and membranous wings had left, Velocity and Orion breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, at least they haven't found us," said Velocity. However, the fear plaguing the crowd of birds hiding in the cave never left them. Furthermore, the other falcon, the toucan and the five cockatoos looked concerned

"We daren't leave this cave, Velocity," said Milo warily, "If the flying fox thing is really that bad, then it could be dangerous out there."

"That's right," said the male Jandaya parakeet, a serious frown on his face, "We must have counted around a dozen sightings of flying foxes from our little group before we were violently chased by that large group. We daren't risk our lives venturing out into the jungle."

"But what are we gonna do for food?" asked Eustace.

"We'll have to organise a foraging group," said Serena, "If it's too unsafe for us all to go outside, especially for vulnerable individuals," she eyed the frightened chicks hiding in the wings of their parents among the crowd of birds, including the three chicks of the sun parakeet couple whom Eustace and Diantha had helped.

"But what about Orion and Velocity?" asked Clemont, gesturing to the two falcons. "Since they only eat meat, what will they do?"

"We'll have to scavenge for some animal carcasses," said Orion firmly, "But enough of that for the moment. I'm gonna contact Blu and see what is going on."

And with that, he unzipped the fanny pack around his waist, for he was the one who carried the mobile phone, or cellphone, pulled out a rectangular metallic thing with marks none of the wild birds could recognise and began to operate it.

"We've collected two phones for immediate long-range communication," explained Eustace to the curious eyes of the wild birds, "They're human items called mobile phones or cellphones. Humans use it to speak to each other over long distances."

As he said this, Orion found the number to the other phone kept by Blu in his and Jewel's hollow and pressed the 'call' button, before pressing the human object to his ear. However, to his frustration, the answer Orion got was an electronic voice which said, "No signal".

At this, the falcon gazed at the screen and saw a red 'X' over a three curves marking the signal symbol.

"Oh, mouse squeaks," he growled, "The signal on this phone's not working."

"Haven't you forgotten, Orion?" explained Clemont, "Mobile phones only work in certain places where the signal is unbroken by obstructions. It seems that we're in one of those places where the signal is poor…"

Velocity flashed Clemont a brief smile. He certainly was like Blu, Bia and some of the other macaws born or raised in a human city and he certainly knew how electronic devices worked. Orion then frowned.

"Then that means I'm gonna have to fly to a place where there is better signal," he murmured sternly. Disapproval rolled through the crowd including his six companions.

"But Orion, if the territory is flooded with those dangerous flying foxes that despise birds and are bent on attacking us," said Velocity, "You could get hurt."

"Those flying foxes show no hesitation when they attack us," said the male sun parakeet, "If they see you, you could end up in danger."

Orion adamantly shot the parakeet a frown. "I've no choice, pal," he said, "I've got to ring Blu and let him know that we have come to the Sanctuary de Amazon but have had a narrow escape from those bats. And secondly, I'm gonna ask him what is going on."

"Well, if you're that determined," said Clemont firmly, "Then I'll come with you."

"So will I," said Rosa. Eustace, Serena, Velocity, Diantha and Milo, at this, shot a 'What!?' look at the two cockatoos. Then Orion stepped forward to the five and said, "You five organise a foraging party for this crowd of birds while we go out there and contact Blu. We shan't be long."

And with that, he, together with Clemont and Rosa, walked towards the entrance. Then before anyone could protest, the rock was shoved aside and within moments, the falcon and the two cockatoos were gone. Serena, giving up trying to protest, then turned their attention to the crowd of birds.

"Right, who will come with us on the foraging party?" she asked. Outside, Orion, Clemont and Rosa had entered the trees. They continued flying on, Orion's eyes on the screen of the phone checking for a signal. Then as soon as the phone had sensed a signal and began beeping, Orion told the cockatoos. With that, the three flew towards a tall tree and perched on to two of its branches. Clemont and Rosa perched on one branch while Orion went higher up, the phone in his talons. Clemont and Rosa wore uneasy facial expressions and their eyes were darting this way and that, glances shooting at the surrounding canopy as though something was in hiding. Their crests were slightly raised for the cockatoos were wary. While Clemont and Rosa watched the surroundings, Orion tried contacting Blu again.

 **Meanwhile**

In the Spix macaws' ravine, Blu stood on the outside of the meeting tree. The birds of the Spix macaws' inner circle, including Zephyr, Roberto, Brisa and Nuvem, were entering the hollow and Jewel was preparing the inside. The macaws were going to have a discussion about the flying fox situation. The faces of all the macaws were laced with worry, and Blu looked especially concerned. What if the flying foxes were planning on an invasion? That was what the Spix macaws were trying to find out and they, together with the other avian residents of the Sanctuary de Amazon, wanted to be ready in case this was true. By the entrance to the hollow, Eduardo and Mimi stood, talking about how Blu and his mate were doing in this whole situation. They were clearly worried for Blu and Jewel, especially in a crisis like this. While the inner circle birds continued entering the hollow, Jewel came out to check on her mate.

"Are you alright, Blu?" she asked.

"I'm fine," said Blu nervously, "Just… just a bit worried… about this flying fox situation…"

Jewel's face turned into one of sternness. "Well, I hope we can get this sorted as soon as we can," she said firmly, "We've had just about enough of those pesky furballs intruding into our land and so has everyone else."

"Especially after one of Flavio's clan's classes had come under attack from a group of them yesterday," said Blu, "I know."

He then shared a hug with his mate.

"Blu," said Eduardo, "The inner circle is ready and waiting for you."

Blu and Jewel broke the hug and were about to walk over to the hollow when Venus's voice called him.

"Blu," shouted the pigtailed Spix macaw, flying in with a mobile phone in her talons, "Orion is on the phone."

At this, Blu shot Eduardo, Mimi and Jewel a surprised look. "You go into the hollow and tell the others that I'm speaking to someone," said Blu. Jewel nodded and left to do just that while Blu took the phone from Venus and began to speak to the young male peregrine falcon on the other end.

"Orion," said Blu.

"Blu," replied Orion with relief, "Oh, thank goodness, your phone's able to pick up."

From below, Clemont and Rosa watched him and continued watching the surroundings.

"Orion," said Blu, sitting down onto a rock. As he did this, something moved behind a large rock. A number of macaw heads, some cerulean or blue with blue-white facial markings, some red with white facial masks and the remaining, green with red foreheads and some white skin on their faces peered out and watched the tribe patriarch as he began to speak with Orion. Carla, Bia, Tiago and their cousin Kira, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and their cousins Jojo, Felix, Lavender, second cousins Ricardo and Tyler, and friends Turquesa, Garrett, Aurora and Músculo, had heard Venus take the phone to Blu. With them were Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos, Estelle, Sheldon, Byron and Athos from the red macaw tribe and Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Ash and Aramis from the green macaw tribe who had come to visit.

"Where are you Orion?" asked Blu, his phone held close to his head with his beak near the speaker, "And where are Velocity, Eustace, Milo and Rosa?"

"Oh, we're right here in the Sanctuary de Amazon, Blu," said Orion in reply. From the hollow, Jewel looked on with Eduardo and Mimi, concerned looks on their faces.

"We were intending to come to visit you," added Orion, "But something has interrupted and we were forced to hide in a cave with a group of non-tribe or clan residents."

Suddenly, a flash of drab colour blinked out the corner of Clemont's eye. The citron-crested cockatoo turned to look at it but it vanished before his eyes could register it. Orion's brilliant eyes also caught-sighted the flash and he turned and looked but it had gone. However, it sent shivers down his spine, made his slate grey and ivory and black-speckled plumage bristle.A spooked gasp escaped his beak and entered the speaker of the phone and into Blu's ear. At this, Blu blinked.

"Orion, are you alright?" he asked. Orion continued speaking.

"I-I'm fine," he said, "I thought I saw something but just disappeared."

Blu, at this, felt dread prick at him. Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi, and also Carla and her group also felt worry and concern. On the other end, Clemont was gazing at the surroundings. His solid orange crest was erect and his blue eyes were widened. Rosa also felt unease prick at her. Then Blu began to deliver a strong warning to Orion.

"Listen, Orion, listen very carefully," he said firmly, "I want you, your sister, and Eustace, Rosa and Milo and any other friend they have brought along to get out of here at once and return to Rio. The Sanctuary de Amazon has become kind of unsafe over the past few days due to all these pesky bats roaming around…" Orion listened closely, "They're flying foxes. They are massive bats, Orion, about as big as Jupiter or larger, and their faces are like those of a husky dog. Those bats despise us birds and are murderous towards us. We have had several incidences of attacks from those flying foxes, two involving a class of chicks in the green tribe and Navyfeather Clan and also the death of two chicks, both of who were the youngest sons of Mercury and Pluto…"

Orion flinched in horror. Clemont and Rosa also widened their eyes and raised their crests in horror.

"And if any of those bats see you, Orion, they'll not hesitate to attack you," said Blu. Orion continued to listen but then his bulbous eyes began to flicker about the surroundings for he felt like he was being watched. Clemont and Rosa's eyes also darted about, unease creeping in. They tried to brush it off but they couldn't. However, the three had good reason to be uneasy for not too far away from where Orion was perched, through some branches, a group of five forms were hidden in a large cluster of leaves. Their eyes glared piercingly at the falcon, their eyes burning with the bitterest hatred.

As Blu continued talking to Orion, Phobos felt the urge to talk to the peregrine falcon.

"Blu, can I…" he began but some green and blue wings latched onto his shoulders as he was about to climb over the rock. At this, the small green-winged macaw turned and gazed at Titania and Ash, who shook their heads as if to say, 'Don't interrupt'. Orion continued listening to Blu's instructions and began to protest.

"But Blu," he said, "We have flown all the way here to visit you. We can't turn back now…"

Clemont's eyes then caught sighted movement in the leaves near Orion's location. At this, he turned and examined the moment closely and saw some shadowy figures with eyes gleaming menacingly in the dark. When the citron-crested cockatoo picked out the shapes of the creatures, alarm tore through him. Rosa also saw them.

"Look, Orion, just do as I say," snapped Blu urgently, "It's for your safety. You remember your parents' reactions when your sister Velocity and Eustace and Rosa's brother Milo sneaked off after Carla and the others to go to Guyana. They had all sorts of ideas going through their mind. If you end up hurt, you know I'll never forgive myself for letting one of Cometa and Lightning's offspring perish, so get this into your skull at once, Orion. Get your sister and cockatoo friends and go back to Rio NOW!"

Orion could not reply. He tried to protest but his tongue stuck in his throat. However, the creatures with the menacing eyes were close to him now and were poised to leap out at him.

"Orion," shouted Rosa as she saw that the creatures were now ready to pounce onto their victim, "Orion, come back!"

"Look out, Orion!" shouted Clemont. Orion only had time to gaze at the two cockatoos and then turn round. When he saw what was in a cluster of leaves near him, he drew in a sharp, horrified gasp.

"Orion?" asked Blu. When he heard no answer, he began to call the falcon's name louder. "Orion, are you there?"

Jewel, Mimi, Eduardo and Carla and her group looked on but what came next on the other end sent shivers down their spines. Sounds of frightened cries, followed by those of wing flaps emanated through the speaker of Blu's phone. Next came a clattering noise and then moments later, the other end was cut out completely.

"Orion?" asked Blu in alarm, "ORION!?"

At this, he shot a worried glance at the phone and saw the words 'End of call' flash on the screen. Overcome with immense horror and despair, Blu flung the phone down and began to weep.

"No, No!" he cried and began to break down. Jewel flew over to him as did Roberto, Venus, Zephyr and Brisa who had been listening from inside the hollow, flew over to him.

"Cometa and Lightning are gonna _kill_ me if they find out what has happened to their son!" cried Blu.

"Oh, don't blame yourself, dear," said Jewel as he continued sobbing, "It's not your fault he won't listen."

She then pulled him into a hug. Not too far away, Carla and the others, who had been listening to the entire conversation, shuddered.

"That sounded as though a predator has attacked Orion," said Bia in a low voice.

"Or what's worse…" said Kira with dread. She daren't say the two dreaded words, both beginning with a letter F, but the others already knew what she meant. Then the group of Spix, scarlet, green-winged and green macaws all began to hug each other.

"I think him and his sister and Eustace and his two brothers have just flown into a deadly situation they weren't aware of," murmured Io. None of the others replied, however. Then the group left their rock and went to find something to do. As they left, Athos and Aramis paused and glanced back at Blu as he followed Jewel, Zephyr and the others back to the meeting tree. With a worried look at each other, the green-winged and great green macaws followed their friends.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14- formulations of plans**

Clemont and Rosa darted into a cluster of leaves in a lower branch of the adjacent tree when they saw some furry creatures with membranous wings jump out at the spot where Orion was. The sounds of frightened cries and wing flaps had been Orion screeching in fright when he saw the creatures leap upon him like a pack of cats, and his attempts to escape. In the process he had dropped the phone which went crashing through the canopy, smashing on the way down as the outstretched arms of hard wood from the branches impacted it, resulting in Orion's call to Blu cutting off. Clemont and Rosa had seen the fragments of the phone continue to tumble towards the forest floor. However, their attention was largely on the skirmish between Orion and the creatures. Then after a frightening minute, the air became quiet, and Clemont and Rosa could hear no more squawking and screeching. However, they did see a couple of slate grey feathers drift down from above, spinning like propellers as they drifted through the canopy and on towards the forest floor. Then the two cockatoos saw a group of drab coloured furry forms, some covered with bleeding scratches and bite marks, obviously made by talons and the beak of a falcon, glide and flap through nonchalantly away into the trees as though nothing had happened, their black membranous wings sweeping out like ghostly cloaks. A slate grey feather was caught in the foot claws of one of the creatures, much to the utter despair and dread of Clemont and Rosa, and they shuddered. The two cockatoos watched helplessly as the creatures sinisterly disappeared further into the trees. However, there was no sign of Orion. At this, dread came over Clemont and Rosa like a massive rogue wave in the sea and Rosa's eyes began to ooze tears. Clemont then put his wings around his girlfriend and began to weep as well when suddenly…

Mad flapping exploded from the air and reached the ears of the two cockatoos, making them jump. Then a feathered form landed very clumsily onto a branch before them, puffing and panting and trembling violently. At first, the cockatoo pair was alarmed but when they saw that it had slate grey feathers, a speckled ivory underside and the familiar beak and talons, they breathed a sigh of immense relief. Orion, though badly shaken and trembling at the narrow escape, was fine but he was covered with a few bruises and cuts, the worst being a scratch across his chest which was oozing a bit of blood. His tail was missing a few flight feathers and a bald patch where some of his body feathers had been torn out marked his back. His fanny pack was also tattered with a large hole torn into it. Because of this, some of the contents had fallen out. Clemont and Rosa, relief consuming them like a cloud, encased Orion in a hug together, tears falling from their faces like rain.

"We thought you have been killed!" cried Rosa in a shaky voice. Orion, shaking like jelly in an earthquake, returned the hug. He was hyperventilating and his heartrate was through the canopy. When the two cockatoos broke the hug with their falcon friend and came away, Clemont was alarmed when he saw two or three red streaks run over the snowy-white plumage of his chest and neck. At this, his blue eyes darted to Orion's chest and when he saw the three red gashes, the cockatoo felt horror rip through him, his orange crest erect.

"Let's get you back to the cave and have that treated," he said.

"And also before any more of those creatures spot us," said Rosa. Orion nodded.

"Then please help me fly back there," he said, wincing from the pain from his scratched chest and tattered tail. Clemont and Rosa obliged. Then together, the trio left the scene, Clemont supporting Orion as he struggled to remain airborne due to painful scratch across his chest. His wing feathers, fortunately, were still intact so he was able to fly which he and the cockatoos were glad for. Quickly, the three disappeared into the trees and headed for the mouth of the cave where the others waited. Orion's narrow escape from that group of the intrusive flying foxes was just the beginning of Eustace's group's worries. However, their minds were on their jungle friends, the bird tribes and clans and the smaller groups living with them.

 **Meanwhile**

Cicatriz examined his weapon which was a sharp-stick which had porcupine spines attached via died mud close to its sharpened end and admired the number of feathers tied on the other, unsharpened end via some coconut strings. The weapon resembled a mace with a rigid handle while Iracebeth's was more like a flail for the porcupine spiked ball was loose. Most of the flying foxes wielded a variety of weapons made from sticks, porcupine spines, piranha teeth, stones and in rare cases, bones. Sharp-sticks, which were sticks with a sharpened end, were the most common but mace, spear and flail-like weapons were also common. Bat pups were too young to have a weapon of their own but when they reached adolescence and had passed the fighting and training classes, they were given a weapon of choice. On each of most of the bats' weapons a set of feathers were tied. These were feathers taken from birds that the flying foxes had killed, taken as trophies. Flying foxes that had more feathers on their weapons were more respected, almost like elite hunters and warriors. Cicatriz and Iracebeth had had a lot of feathers tied to their weapons, showing that they had killed a lot of birds of countless species, among them a harpy eagle in Iracebeth's case. This case was one of the very few cases in which a flying fox had killed an apex predator singlehandedly, but these cases were extremely few and far between for harpies were extremely dangerous. It was obvious that Iracebeth was one of the most skilled fighters in the colony, and taking on a harpy eagle was something her mate Cicatriz had never done and that most of the flying foxes in the colony would never dare attempt, not even as a group. Thus the harpy eagle feather in Iracebeth's cluster of trophies was a symbol of her skill as an ultimate bird killer in the colony. It truly was an awesome feat to achieve in combating a harpy eagle alone.

While Cicatriz admired his trophies, taken from countless individual birds he had killed or had participated in killing in a group, Augustus came by. His eyes were on his brother and his weapon as he continued gleefully examining his mace-like sharp-stick with its collection of feathers. Whenever Augustus's eyes landed on those feathers, a spark of revulsion tore through him. Then his eyes travelled to the ongoing fighting classes below the colony leaders' tree. Bat pups and adolescent flying foxes were going fiercely for the bird dummies made from fruit, slashing them with their claws, biting with their teeth or skewering them with sharp-sticks, as though fighting against real birds. Augustus's eyes then landed on his nephew Iago and niece Veruca as they attacked a bird dummy. Iago, because he was an adolescent, was given a sharp-stick so that he could practice wielding it. He was yet to make a kill and earn his first trophy and that wasn't too far away where an adolescent flying fox would go out into a bird species' territory with some other adolescents to take on a real bird and earn their first trophies. Augustus flinched. He could not stand the thought of his son Sebastian, who was also an adolescent, joining a hunting group to kill an innocent bird. In fact the whole fighting class course, along with the colony's teachings about every bird of the Amazon, made him and his mate Melissa and also some of the other flying foxes who disagreed with them, sick and repulsed. Sebastian and his two younger sisters Stella and Luna also hated the thought of killing a bird if they've done nothing wrong, and Augustus and Melissa, their parents, had strictly forbidden them in joining in with the fighting classes, much to the immense disapproval of Cicatriz and Iracebeth.

In the colony, it was mandatory that all bat pups attend the fighting classes, but Sebastian has only ever attended very few of them when he had been a pup and unlike his cousins Veruca and Iago who found attacking the bird dummies a thrill, he found it utterly repulsive and often refused to obey his teachers' commands to viciously attack the dummies. When he had reached adolescents and his younger sisters Stella and Luna were born, Augustus and Melissa had withdrawn Sebastian from the classes to instead teach him the basics of jungle survival and skills in self-defence. At the same time, the parents had strictly disallowed Stella and Luna from attending to the fighting classes, which they, like their older brother, found repulsive as well. However, Augustus and his family's behaviour and their contrary views to the colony's teachings about Amazonian birds had placed them in a spotlight for bullying and jeering from their colony-mates apart from a few, such as the late cousin of Melissa, Lily. Augustus and Melissa were obviously aware that Cicatriz and Iracebeth want their son and daughters to attend the fighting classes and their son eventually venturing out into a territory of a bird flock to hunt for a bird to kill with a weapon and earn his first trophy in the form of a feather plucked from his victim, but the two obviously could not bring themselves to allow their son to do it. Even Sebastian himself hated the thought of slaughtering an innocent bird in an unprovoked attack. The family was indeed in a difficult position but they also had other aims on their mind as well.

Augustus snapped out of these thoughts when the clapping of membranous wings reached his ears. He turned his gaze away from the fighting classes below and towards his older brother as he clapped his wings together to call the attention of some other flying foxes. Then within moments, a small crowd of bats congregated around their leader. As they did that, Melissa came by and landed on the rim of the hollow entrance in time to see the bats, which were the inner circle bats of the colony, bowed briefly to show their respect to their patriarch. After rising, Cicatriz smiled and opened up the meeting. Augustus slipped out of the hollow and joined his mate. The two moved to the shade of a wide branch and leaves and began to listen in through one of the holes as Cicatriz welcomed his inner circle bats.

"I am glad you guys have come to join me this afternoon," he said proudly, "As you will know, this meeting is about the next step of our plans of our invasion."

Melissa and Augustus stole a glance at each other and continued listening. They knew what Cicatriz meant by 'plans of invasion' as well as whose territories their colony was planning to grab.

"Now that we have plenty of important information about the territories of those feathered worms, the macaws and the other birds including the four-winged lizard-tailed birds thanks to our spies," continued Cicatriz, "It is time to get the questions their investigation has produced answered, and we have plenty of those on our list. And the way we are gonna do that is to catch at least one member of each group of feathered worms to bring back to our land to question them."

Cicatriz's group continued listening as their leader continued, "And the information we need from those feathered prisoners we catch is how large their tribe or clan is, what other birds are living on their territory, what their living space is like and what sort of habitat, and so on and so on, but most importantly, why there hasn't been any logging activity in those areas for ages."

Some of Cicatriz's inner circle bats exchanged glances before gazing back at their leader. "But I'm gonna need suggestions as to which birds would be the easiest targets to nab first..."

When these words travelled from Cicatriz's mouth to Melissa and Augustus's ears, the two winced in utter shock as they knew where the deranged leader was getting to.

"Interrogation," whispered Melissa to her equally horrified mate, "They're planning on kidnapping some birds to interrogate about their habitat and tribes, clans or groups, among other things. I remember this happening to three macaws from the red-fronted macaw tribe before our colony drove them out."

Augustus shared a dreaded look with his mate. Both bats knew what that meant. Whenever the flying foxes wanted to know more about the territory of a bird tribe or clan they intend to grab, as well as the tribe or clan the bats intend to drive out in order to grab that land, they always used forceful interrogation on kidnapped members of that tribe or clan. Their initial kidnapping was just the beginning of their nightmares but the worst bit of _all_ was the interrogation process itself. Birds were put through the most sadistic, cruellest and violent torture by their furred interrogators in order to be forced into answering questions about their tribe or clan and about their land, and the methods used made Augustus and Melissa's stomachs lurch, and Augustus remembered how so many poor birds had died from the brutal torture the interrogators had put them through in the past. Even worse, not all of the kidnapped victims had been adult birds. Augustus and Melissa remembered some of the previous kidnapped victims being as young as preteen chicks, or chicks that were approaching adolescence. However, very young chicks were never used since they did not know much about their tribe or clan.

Melissa had never seen the state the avian victims ended up after just a few days of immense torture, but Augustus had. He had managed to get a glimpse of two of the victims, both young male hyacinth macaw adults, from the Oscuro-Azul Clan before loggers came and destroyed their habitat and decimated them, but Augustus did not want to let the memory of those two macaws and their state arise in his mind. It was too horrible to remember, but he had an excellent idea from that glimpse of how the victims' interrogators treated those poor birds. Both of those hyacinth macaws had since died as soon as Bruto and Sombra, the parents of Augustus and the colony leaders before Cicatriz and his mate Iracebeth succeeded them, had both of them put to death. While Augustus thought about these dreadful things, Cicatriz's voice pulled his and Melissa's attention back to him through the window in the hollow.

"We're especially gonna need some tribe or clan members who know a lot about their groups," he said, "Those sorts of members are an ideal source of information about their tribes and clans and their habitats. So what are your suggestions?"

His only functioning eye, his left eye, raked his gathering expectantly. Then a muscular male with reddish fur crisscrossed with a great number of stepped forward, an evil grin on his face.

"I suppose any of the relatives of the tribe or clan leaders, such as any grown-up offspring that they have," he said, "Or perhaps any close friends of those leaders?"

But then his face fell. "But those potential targets are often in their tribe or clan's base and it would be too risky to fly into the heart of their flock's territory to nab them."

"That is true, Severus," said Cicatriz to the male reddish bat, "And that is what we want to avoid."

Severus nodded in agreement. Then a female bat came forward. She had brown fur slashed with scars.

"Maybe we could target birds that are either on patrol or out foraging or something in the territory of those birds?" she asked, "They're perhaps more vulnerable than they are nearer the heart of their territories where their tribe or clan-mates live."

Augustus and Melissa flinched in horror, a gasp entering each of their mouths.

"I agree with Cruella actually, Cicatriz," came Severus's voice, "Those jungle feather-balls with feathers often send patrol groups out into the territory while some others fly out to forage in the fruit groves that grow in their areas."

"Classes are also vulnerable," said another bat, "But I think those birds will have taken strict action after we attacked some of those groups now."

"Well, we could still target those groups," said Cicatriz, "But we might have to have some plan of action in place first if we want to go for those groups."

An evil smile then crossed his face. "But other than that, it's settled," he said, "We're gonna go for any patrol groups and foragers. Cruella, you're an outright genius."

Cruella smiled as she accepted the praise from her leader.

"Now listen very closely," said Cicatriz, and his group cocked their ears and leaned closer to pick up the information he was about to give out, "Here's what I want you guys to do…" Augustus and Melissa also cocked their ears to listen to Cicatriz's instructions.

"I want you lot to organise plenty of groups of kidnappers, preferably with the strongest and most skilled bats in the colony included, and then send them out into the birds' territories to search for any patrol groups or foragers. I also want most of you lot to go with them as well for many of you guys are also skilled in ambush and capturing birds."

"Voldemort would be a good one," crooned Cruella evilly, "He's a real expert in those areas."

"As well as hunting," said Severus.

"Then as soon as you find a patrol or foraging group," continued Cicatriz, "I want you to jump out at them and try to capture one or two of them. It doesn't matter how young those birds are but as long as they're not young chicks. Make sure that you use brute force but not enough force to kill them, and then bring them back here. After that, take them to the Interrogation Patch where our interrogation victim handlers are waiting. Hand those birds over to those bats and help them tie them up…"

"Did you hear that?" whispered Melissa. Augustus nodded.

"This is _honestly_ no different from the last times they had captured birds for interrogation," he hissed disgustedly, "They're planning on using _young_ birds, those that are under adolescent age, yet _again!_ "

"I think it's time we took action, Augustus, don't you think?" said Melissa with a stern frown. Then an idea entered Augustus's head, but it was one that he didn't really like but it was the only possible best solution.

"We're gonna join one of those kidnapper groups," he said, "And as we venture into the birds' land, we're gonna plan on delivering this information to the birds, but we'll cross that river when we come to it."

Melissa shot her mate a stunned look. "Let's get outa here and tell all this to Sebastian, Stella and Luna back at our hollow before that brother of mine or any of his inner circle bats catch us here," said Augustus and with that, the two bats took off in the direction of their hollow. Fortunately, Cicatriz and his gang had been unaware that Augustus and Melissa had been eavesdropping on the next step of their plans.

 **Meanwhile**

Back in the underground cave where Eustace and company and dozens and dozens of the jungle's birds not part of a tribe or clan or any of the more major groups such as the chestnut-fronted macaw group had taken refuge, Clemont, Rosa and Orion had managed to arrive back safely. Serena, together with Diantha and Eustace, were out on a foraging trip with a group of the birds, aiming to find and haul as much fruit as they could find back to the cave for the rest of the group while Velocity had left on a hunting trip to search for an animal carcass or capybara to kill so that she and her brother Orion had food to themselves. She succeeded in finding a capybara mother and a litter of five pups (babies) foraging on the edge of a lake and had managed to jump out at the group and kill three of the pups, slashing their necks with her talons where the main carotid arteries ran, making the mother and the other two pups escape. It had been a difficult choice but Velocity knew that she and Orion needed to eat without killing any of the birds, which they were strictly against doing, preferring pigeons and some other small non-exotic birds over larger bird species. After she had made the kill, Velocity had dragged the carcases back to the mouth of the underground tunnel and cave to await the return of her brother with Clemont and Rosa. However, when the three finally arrived, Velocity was flooded with alarm when she saw the state of Orion, especially the scratch across his chest which still continued to weep a few drops of red, and his tattered fanny pack.

"Orion, your chest and your plumage!" she cried when she saw the trembling falcon cling onto Clemont with one wing around his shoulder and the other grasping his chest. His face was twisted with pain. "Look at the state of you! What happened!?"

"We had a narrow escape from another group of those giant dog-faced bats," said Rosa, "A group of them sneaked up on Orion while he was talking to Blu on the mobile phone."

Clemont then helped Orion to stand on his own talons. "They jumped out at me so suddenly," explained the male falcon, "that I just dropped the phone and was forced to fight back and escape. One clawed me across the chest, as you can see," he pointed to his scratched chest, which was fortunately not too deep, "While another attempted to bite me."

"We thought that those bats had killed him when everything subsided," said Rosa, "But we were relieved when he turned up alive and well."

Then Orion saw that some of the group was missing as Milo stood at the entrance of the group's hiding place. "Where are Eustace, Serena and Diantha?" he asked.

"They and some of the birds have gone out foraging for fruit for the others in the cave," said Velocity. She then nodded to the three capybara pup carcasses, "While I have gone out hunting and killed these. These three will be our meal."

Orion stared at the three capybara carcases and sighed. Then Milo came in, having seen Orion and his injury.

"Let's take you into our cave and have that scratch treated," he said, his wings around the peregrine falcon who still clutched his scratched chest. "Some of the birds inside are quite well trained in medical care and they should be able to help you."

"Oh, thanks," said Orion with relief as Milo began to help him walk towards the cave's mouth, "I could do with that."

As they left and disappeared into the cave, Velocity, Clemont and Rosa began to talk.

"So what did Blu say?" she asked.

"Well, based on what Orion told us during our trip back to here," said Clemont, "It seems that Blu has told us to leave this place and return to Rio."

"He was concerned for our safety, especially with those giant bats flying around the Sanctuary de Amazon," said Rosa. Velocity shot the two cockatoos a disbelieving glare.

"Well, we've just got here for one," she said, "And two, we have just helped rescue a group of birds from a group of those marauding bats. We can't just pack up and leave and abandon these poor birds."

Clemont and Rosa shot each other a glance and gazed back at Velocity who then glanced around at the surrounding wall of trees in the clearing. "And besides those two reasons," she added, "I would like to find out why the sanctuary has become infested with these bats and what they are doing roaming around the said land. Our jungle friends might want some help in dealing with this situation."

"But Velocity," protested Clemont, "It's too dangerous. Orion told us that Blu said that those bats despise us birds."

"And that they could kill us on the spot if they find us," said Rosa. The stern and determined look on Velocity's face, however, never left.

"We're not gonna leave those jungle friends to face this potential threat by themselves, you two," she said adamantly, "If that is true, I would like to find some answers and then see if we could help them."

Clemont and Rosa opened their beaks to protest but Velocity overrode their attempts to speak with, "Now come on, inside the cave. The foraging party will be returning with their stash of fruit and will require your help, while I drag these carcases in for me and my brother."

The two cockatoos, an irritated glance at each other, did as they were told and entered the cave while Velocity resumed dragging the capybara pup carcases towards the cave entrance.

"She sure can be bossy at times," muttered Rosa as the two crossed the rim and into the tunnel.

"Tell me about it," said Clemont, "She's like her mother sometimes."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15- explosive confrontations and a warning from a family of unlikely allies**

 **A day later**

Life continued to flow by in the Sanctuary de Amazon but it was not in its usual cheery atmosphere. The atmosphere had become somewhat dismal and grey, especially with the flying foxes continuing to roam the birds' land. Despite this, the animals continued their daily business while the bird groups continued their patrolling, foraging and other life activities. However, class outings had been reduced or even forbidden for the safety of the chicks due to all the flying foxes' intrusions still going on and those intrusions had increased in frequency. The tribe and clan leaders had become fearful that the flying foxes were possibly planning something and had sent more patrol groups out to keep an eye on things and possibly spy on any flying fox groups to gather information. Furthermore, the leaders were considering sending Cicatriz and Iracebeth a strong warning to keep their bats within their boundary. However, the leaders were unaware that those two deranged colony leaders had other ideas and that they were putting themselves, especially the patrol groups in a more vulnerable position…

At the Spix/red border in the Brazil nut grove, a group of Spix and a group of red macaws had come here at the same time to pick some Brazil nuts. Among the Spix group were Roberto and his sons Jojo and Felix (Lavender and Brisa were back at the Spix tribe's ravine caring for Chilro and Ophelia), and their respective girlfriends Kira and Turquesa, and Justin, Carla, Charlotte and Músculo. In the red group were Mars, Phobos and Deimos who had come to pick some Brazil nuts as well. As the two groups crossed paths, Mars and another male macaw, Tito, a member of the red tribe's Pit of Games team, shot the Spix macaws a concerned look.

"Hey, blue-feathered buddies," said Tito, "How are you and your tribe doing?"

"Oh, fine thanks," said Roberto, a slight shudder in his silvery voice, "Just more… aware of these pesky furballs flying around our territory."

"Oh, we've had plenty of those furred winged pests roaming our area too," said Mars as he perched and selected a Brazil nut, "Felipe and Pearl have banned classes of chicks from going out for their safety."

"And Mom," said Phobos as he and his brother perched beside their father, "has kept our little sister Gabrielle in our hollow a lot for fear of her safety as well."

"In fact, most of the parents in our tribe have forbidden their chicks from leaving their trees," said Cherie, the scoremarker of the red team and Tito's girlfriend.

"The same in our tribe," said Jojo as he perched with Kira, "Mom has kept Chilro and Ophelia from leaving the hollow."

"As had our parents with Luke and Linda and Aunt Venus and Uncle Zephyr with Azurite and Aquamarine, especially after what happened with the youngest sons of Mercury, Sapphire, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli a few days ago," said Carla. Justin nodded in agreement.

"Tito and I did plan on having chicks as well," continued Cherie, "But with the flying fox problem going on, we decided to postpone it until this threat is over." She then clamped her beak onto the stem of a Brazil nut and snapped it. "Those bats are bad news to chicks, you know."

Roberto nodded in agreement. He remembered facing a group of those deranged flying mammals when he was a chick and had lost his entire family. Kira, Jojo, Charlotte and Músculo also shuddered at the thought of facing a massive flying mammal that was as big as Jupiter with a metre-and-a-half to two-metre wingspan. Then pushing aside these thoughts, the Spix and red macaw groups resumed picking some Brazil nuts, two or three of the macaws keeping watch on the surroundings. A new rule had been issued by the tribe and clan leaders that macaws keep watch on the surroundings while some of the others foraged, and that was what some of the macaws did in these two groups. However, the two groups were being watched themselves. In a cluster of leaves in a tree not too far from the two groups of foraging macaws, several pairs of sinister eyes glared out at them. Then some of the leaves shuddered as something left the spot. The macaws continued picking Brazil nuts and packing them into specially constructed bags made from interwoven sticks and vines that were strong enough to carry such heavy fruits without dropping them and risking killing someone below them. As Roberto passed a Brazil nut to Felix and Jojo who held one of the bags open, he felt unease prick at him. At this, he stiffened his upper body, eyes wide and crest feathers spiked out. The others continued filling their backs with more Brazil nuts or keeping an eye on the surroundings. Then a flash of drab colour blinked in Roberto's peripheral vision. He turned his head to the flash but saw nothing there. However, it sent shivers down his spine. Next, Felix and Jojo stiffened. Like their father, their crests spiked out and their eyes bulged. The spiking of crest feathers during anger, fear or surprise seemed to be an inherited trait in all three of Roberto and Brisa's first brood including Lavender, Felix and Jojo's younger sister, whose ponytail feathers always flared out when fear or anger consumed her. Chilro also had this trait but Ophelia seemed to lack it altogether.

Cherie then saw the Spix macaw and his two sons with wary looks on their faces. At this, she stopped and went over to them.

"Something troubling you three?" she asked concerned. Carla, Justin, Charlotte, Músculo, Turquesa, Kira and two of the other macaws with them also shot the trio a concerned look. Roberto was about to reply when he thought he saw another flash of drab colour out of his eye. However, when he turned his head in the flash's direction, he did not see anything. Then the other Spix and red macaws came around.

"Problem, Roberto, Jojo and Felix?" asked Mars, Phobos and Deimos holding one of the bags.

"You look as though you've seen a monster," said Phobos, commenting on the three's appearance. Tito and the other red macaws present looked on but said nothing. Roberto, Jojo and Felix, their eyes wide and head feathers spiked out, slowly and nervously turned to the group of scarlet and green-winged macaws. Above the macaws, some shapes gathered. These forms had fur and membranous wings but also something else. Then Roberto spoke.

"Tito, Mars, Cherie," he whispered, "I'd recommend you'd get your foraging group outa here and back to your tribe."

"What?" asked Mars with a raised eyebrow. Then unease began to prick at Kira and she felt her skin crawl. Like a prey animal made aware of an approaching predator hidden in its surroundings, the niece of Blu and Jewel began to slowly step back and scan the environment, her feathers on end. Phobos and Deimos then flashed a few glances around the surroundings.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Uncle Roberto," said Phobos. Roberto, however, looked unconvinced. Then Felix and Jojo's eyes travelled to a certain spot on the branch and saw some funny looking shadows casted by something from above. Then before the two could trace the shadows to their owners, what happened next made the two and everyone else jolt like an electric shock.

"MOVE IT!" barked Roberto and with that, he bolted into action and began to try and push the other macaws away to safety. Then what happened next threw everything into chaos. The moment Roberto began to usher the other Spix macaws, the sounds of wing flaps filled the air, but the sounds did not come from feathered wings. Then Mars, Cherie, Tito, Phobos, Deimos and their red companions looked this way and that until their eyes landed on a group of furry creatures with membranous wings descend upon them like predators. Flooded with alarm, the red macaws bolted while the Spix macaws bolted in the opposite direction. However, one of them was too slow to escape in time.

"GET THEM!" shouted one of the furred creatures as the macaws fled. Cherie, Tito, Phobos, Deimos and the other red macaws, their bags partially full with Brazil nuts, fled into the trees when they realised that someone was missing.

"Wait, where's Dad?" asked Phobos. At this, Tito and Cherie shot glances at the rest of the group and saw that Mars was not with them. Then Deimos emitted a piercing screech, stopping the whole group in its tracks. Then the scarlet and green-winged macaws turned and when they saw their missing comrade, horror flared within them like a flammable gas cloud igniting. At this, they dived into a thick cluster of leaves and looked out. On the Spix's side, Roberto, Carla, Justin, Charlotte, Músculo, Jojo, Felix, Turquesa and Kira had dived into a hollow while the other Spix macaws had fled to the ravine to warn Blu and Jewel. Like the red macaws, the Spix macaws were horrified at the right before them. Mars had not escaped in time and soon enough, he was surrounded by a group of seven flying foxes, four of which were highly muscled, as they positioned themselves around the frightened green-winged macaw to prevent him from escaping.

"Nice try escapin', red feathered worm," said one of the bats, a large, brown muscular male whose pelage was heavily crisscrossed with numerous hideous scars, "But you've failed."

His comrades tittered evilly. Then Roberto noticed that the flying foxes had something on them. He saw sticks in the bats' membranous wings. An awful thought crept over him. As his eyes travelled to the ends of the sticks, he saw a flash of colour hanging from those ends. _Feathers; the bats' trophies._

"Dad," said Jojo, "Those bats look armed."

Roberto stared at the sticks and saw that they were sharpened at the other end, and those sharp ends were pointing right at Mars as he flashed frightened glances at the bats. At this, he shuddered violently as he realised that Mars was in mortal danger. The flying foxes were indeed armed, and they had brought weapons on them. Then another thing sent terror flaring with Roberto. As his eyes travelled to the heavily muscled male bat with brown pelage crisscrossed with scars, especially on his face, he began to have flashbacks. That bat somehow seemed familiar, but he was familiar in a frightful way. Roberto then began to shudder violently, crest feathers spiking out again as he heard familiar screams of agony and flashes of drab colours violently attacking flashes of blue, as well as blood drops flying everywhere, and the image of an adult macaw who looked similar to him with the same head feathers with a large and bleeding gash across his forehead crawling weakly on the floor, blood trailing down his terror-filled face that was also flooded with pleading. Roberto heard the words, "Go on, son! Don't look back!"

"Dad, calm down," said Jojo, a wing on his dad's shoulder. Roberto tried to but couldn't quell the boiling and churning fear within him. Turquesa then tried to jump out but Carla and Justin latched a pair of wings, one wing each, onto her shoulders and prevented her from doing so.

"Don't," said Carla.

"You'll give away our position for one," said Justin, "And you'd end up hurt for another."

Turquesa shot the two macaws a 'What!?' look and then calmed down. Then the group of Spix macaws began to watch the dramatizing scene before their eyes unfold.

Mars, when he managed to register his position and finding himself lying on his front at the centre of seven sharp points at the end of seven sharpened sticks, then began to flicker his gaze at the owners of those sticks, the seven fox-faced bats, surrounding him. His red feathers were on end and he was trembling. However, he bravely fought the adrenaline rushing through his veins as the hulking and hideously scarred bat began to tower menacingly over him, his sharp-stick pointing dangerously at his neck and his scorn-filled eyes piercing the green-winged macaw like a pair of jaguar's eyes.

"Now, red-feathered varmint," growled the bat, "Now that you have nowhere to go, it is time for you to come with us."

The other six bats sniggered in agreement and kept their sharp-sticks pointed at Mars, four aimed at his back and the other two to his head. In the Spix macaws' hiding place, Kira mouthed the words 'come with us' in confusion. What did the hulking male bat mean by that? But then a horrible thought came into her head, one that made her flinch. Mars, despite the fear turning his whole body to shaking jelly, began to shakily but bravely rise to his feet despite his talons being too weak to take his weight and question the bats' intentions the moment he stood up.

"Whatever for!?" he rhetorically answered. "You know we have more important things to deal with than petty stuff like this."

Carla, Justin, Charlotte, Felix, Jojo, Kira, Músculo and Turquesa could not help but admire the green-winged macaw's boldness, and Roberto was especially stunned, for the hulking brown bat was one of the murderers of his family years and years ago.

"He's as tough as a Brazil nut shell," whispered Músculo.

"I'd have panicked easily," whispered Turquesa. The hulking and scarred male bat, who turned out to be the ringleader of the group besides one of the participants who had slaughtered Roberto's family, flashed a stunned look at Mars's boldness, but then impatience and anger flared up in his face like a flash of lightning. He nodded to one of the bats behind Mars, a young reddish female (not Iracebeth).

"Right, Voldemort," said she and then what she did next sent immense horror blasting through the watchers, especially Mars's foraging group as they watched from a distance in the red tribe's side. The female bat who was smaller and had red fur came forward and without hesitation, took her sharp-stick into her mouth, jumped up and violently raked her foot claws down Mars's back like a swipe of a jaguar paw. A piercing screech of agony exploded from the green-winged macaw's beak as he was knocked back down onto his front again. Kira opened her beak to scream but Jojo and Felix slammed a wing each over her beak to prevent her from doing so. In the red's side, Phobos and Deimos let loose silent cries of horror while the other red macaws, including Tito and Cherie only looked on, beaks agape. None of them daren't make a sound for fear that the bats might be alerted to their presence and thus give their position away. As Mars lay on his front, his face twisted in agony from his scratched back which oozed some blood that was hard to see against his red plumage, the hulking male bat, named Voldemort, leaned towards the green-winged macaw until his mouth was only a few centimetres from the macaw's forehead.

"Resistance is futile, red feathered _varmint_ ," growled he threateningly, his voice sounding like that of a tree slamming into the ground and spittle flying into Mars's face, "You're gonna come with us no matter WHAT!"

The other six bats, including the female that had inflicted Mars with the scratch, then pointed their sharp-sticks' sharpened ends closer to Mars's face and neck while Voldemort's sharp-stick aimed for the area where the carotid artery ran through the neck, the tip of the point hovering within an inch of the skin, dangerously close. Jojo and Felix saw the proximity of Voldemort's sharp-stick and gasped in alarm. Mars then raised his head and glared fiercely at Voldemort, unfazed by the hideous bat's monstrous appearance and the scratch on his back screaming in pain, and the mortal danger he was in. His eyes then found the sharp-stick aiming for his carotid artery area in the neck. At this, he scowled.

"If you're gonna kill me, bat," he snapped, "Then just do that and be _done_ with it. But mark my words; Felipe and the other leaders of the tribes and clans WILL take action against whatever your colony is planning to do, and if your leaders Cicatriz and his mate were here, I'd say that VERY SAME thing, TO THEIR FACES."

Mars practically screeched the last three words maliciously. Despite the fear making his feathers stand on end, his orange eyes were ablaze with vicious dust storms like those on the planet he was named for. In their hiding place, the Spix macaws continued watching the scene.

"Talk about playing with fire," murmured Roberto in shock.

"Playing with fire!?" snapped Turquesa bitterly and quietly, "It's those BATS that are playing with fire, not Mars."

Voldemort, taken aback by the green-winged macaw's unfazed attitude and fierceness, then eyed his six companions.

"Looks like we're gonna have to use brute force to get this stubborn feather-ball to submit to us," he growled.

"Quite right, Voldemort," said one of the other bats. Then Voldemort glared bitterly at Mars, his fiery gaze making the red macaw flinch as though it were a burning hot laser.

"If you're NOT gonna do as you're told, stubborn ball of feathers," he snarled thunderously, "We WILL use VIOLENCE!"

"Especially if you're gonna be so OBNOXIOUS and RUDE, especially in your backchat," put in the female bat that has injured the macaw. The other five also made fiery glares and hissed in agreement. To reinforce their threat, the aggressive bats aimed the tips of their sharp-sticks for Mars's neck and jabbed his skin firmly, not too firmly to break his skin but firmly enough to frighten him. All this was enough to finally shatter Mars's boldness and his face flashed from a look of courage to a look of fright in an instant and the Spix macaws could see that he was starting to tremble like a leaf.

"That was me when me and my family were attacked by a group of flying foxes before I ended up caught in a smuggler's trap," said Roberto. Then Jojo and Felix rose to their feet and prepared to take action.

"We can't allow those horrid bats force Mars away," hissed Jojo angrily, his blue eyes ablaze with blue flames and his head feathers spiked out. Suddenly, Mars's high-pitched, terror-filled voice stopped him and Felix in their tracks. It sounded splintered, as though he were speaking through a chattering beak as though he were very cold.

"L-l-l-look," he stammered, "J-j-j-just kill me, will you!?"

In response, Voldemort's enormous membranous wing which was as black as a shadow, lashed out and brutally wrapped around Mars's head. Then Mars was yanked towards the hideous bat's face.

"Not until you've answered our questions, red-feathered varmint," snapped Voldemort stormily, "Now you will bring your BACKSIDE ALONG or we will DRAG IT ALONG FOR YOU!"

"But I… OOOWWW!" barked Mars as something sharp jabbed into the scratch in his back. One of Voldemort's companions had firmly jabbed the end of his stick straight into one if Mars's claw marks, inflicting him with extreme pain. Then Justin and Charlotte, hot rage burning through them when they saw the seven hideous bats treat one of their 'uncles' like that, rose to their feet and prepared to jump out at the bats. Jojo, Felix, Turquesa, Músculo, Carla and Kira did the same.

"Time we took action, I think," growled Jojo fiercely.

"No one treats Uncle Mars like that!" growled Justin, his feathers on end.

"I'm gonna lash at that big bully and claw his face in!" hissed Kira, "Maybe a few new scars added to his collection might deter him."

"Or perhaps we'll tear their hair out or damage their membranous wings," added Felix.

"Let's do this," hissed Charlotte. The others nodded in agreement. Roberto, however, had other ideas. Before the eight young macaws could leap out at the seven bats to rescue Mars, Roberto darted into their path.

"What are you doing, Uncle Beto!?" shrieked the Mimi lookalike incredulously.

"That's Voldemort, one of my family's murderers," retorted Roberto, his wings spread protectively across the eight macaws' paths in an effort to prevent them from jumping out at said bat and his six companions. "He is one of the most violent and savage bats in the colony…"

Kira and Carla then began to try and fight their way past Roberto but he resisted. "He is one of the bats with a reputation for savagely killing birds in the most agonising way and he's one of the most skilled fighters in the colony! He's extremely dangerous! CARLA!"

Carla, too blinded by fury to listen, then began to try and shove past Roberto in an attempt to lash at the bats and attack them. The other seven did the same and soon, an argument broke out. Back with the bats, one of Voldemort's companions began to examine the surroundings.

"Do you guys hear that?" she asked. Voldemort, at this, began to rake the surroundings with his bloodthirsty eyes, his ears also picking up the sounds of squawking. Mars gazed at his attempted capturers with fear–filled eyes but found he could not escape for three of the bats still had him hostage with their sharp-sticks pointing at his neck. Nearby, Phobos, Deimos, Cherie, Tito and their companions were slowly creeping up on the bats. They hid in a cluster of leaves nearest to the group.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed, "Sounds like some of those feathered pests are nearby," he shot Mars a fierce look. "Let's get outa here and take this green-winged macaw with us before we are caught."

However, before the six bats could obey and jab Mars threateningly with their sharp-sticks to get him moving, a rustle of leaves sounded loudly, making the seven bats stiffen. Phobos's group also stiffened for they hadn't shaken anything. In their hollow, Roberto and the other eight macaws stopped struggling when they heard the sound. Then the seven bats began to rake the surroundings with wary eyes again. Above Voldemort's group and Mars, a furry brown form gazed down at them.

"Now what!?" snarled the reddish female. Voldemort continued examining the surroundings for another minute until finally; he turned his attention back to Mars.

"It's nothing important," he hissed, "Let's just leave with this red bird back to our territory."

Mars shuddered but could not protest. However, inside he felt hot rage burn within him. ' _The HYPOCRISY!'_ he snarled in his head, _'First they intrude into our land and now they want one of US in theirs!'_

Mars felt like exploding into a rage-fuelled frenzy at these seven bats' attempts to force him into going with them to the colony's territory. However, he could not for Voldemort was an extremely violent bat, infamous for killing so many birds, often in bloody and merciless battles, and his sharp-stick's end was decorated with dozens of feathers taken from countless kills. Mars assumed some of them, specifically the cerulean blue feathers hanging in the colourful cloud, to be from Roberto's family members since he remembered Roberto telling him how this bat had participated in the killings of his family. Suddenly, a jab in the back snapped him out of his thoughts.

"MOVE, you disgusting feathered BALL OF FILTH!" snarled the female bat that had prodded him with her sharp-stick. Mars flashed her a despairing and offended look and seeing no choice, had to go along. However, another rustle of leaves sounded, stopping the group in their tracks but Voldemort ushered his group along. Then another sound filled the air. This time it was that of an animal but it was not avian. The six bats stopped dead, much to Voldemort's rapidly vanishing patience.

"Will you six come along please!?" he snarled, "We've no time to listen out for suspicious sounds."

"But Voldemort, I hear chattering," said the female red bat.

"Sounds like a pack of monkeys," said another companion, a muscular born male who was less scarred than Voldemort. Then the reddish female cocked her ears to listen. The squeaky sounds, which indeed sounded monkey like, began to increase in loudness.

"A pack of monkeys nearby, you mean?" she said to the male. Voldemort then flashed his companions an annoyed glance but then he felt dread prick at him. Slowly turning his head in the direction of the increasing sounds' source, the evil bat saw some branches shake. Roberto's group then saw some flashes of drab colour through the moving branches. However they were not bats.

"Roberto, guys, LOOOK!" said Turquesa and with that, she pointed a wing. At this, Roberto and the others followed her point and breathed shocked gasps. Phobos and company also saw the squeaking shapes jump through the branches, and they were heading straight for Voldemort and his group, as well as Mars. Then Voldemort felt terror explode through him.

"It IS MONKEYS!" he barked, "Let's GET OUTA HERE NOW!"

His six companions seized Mars but before they could haul him away, two comets, one brown and black and one white and greyish white, flashed by, so fast that Voldemort and his companions could not identify them. Then then a split-second later, a pack of black or dark brown and white balls of fur were upon them like lightning! Infuriated flying fox screeches and the mischievous laughter of monkeys then erupted into the air as the monkeys, which Carla and Charlotte had identified as emperor tamarins having seen a picture of them in Ganymede and Bia's books began to wreak havoc on Voldemort and his group.

The ball of fur and flying fox wings then began to violently change shape as the flying foxes struggled against the monkeys. Some tamarins latched their hands onto the ears and fur of the bats and began to fiercely pull them, making the bats screech in pain. Voldemort then began to swipe his enormous black wings at the tamarins but they dodged and kept pulling at his hair. The other six also struggled, swiping either their wings or their sharp-sticks at their attackers but a barrage of hands and squeaky laughs continued coming in at them, grabbing their fur or ears and pulling. One tamarin managed to grab the red female's nose and squeeze it, making her yelp in pain and drop her sharp-stick which another tamarin grabbed and ran away with. Roberto, Phobos and the others watched in immense shock while Mars covered his head with his wings but then he felt something, but not feathered wings or talons, but membranous wings grab him by the talons and tail and pull him away from under Voldemort and his gang's feet while the monkeys kept them occupied. It happened so fast that Roberto, Phobos and the others failed to spot Mars's new kidnappers. However, they were too absorbed by the skirmish between the seven bats and the monkeys to even notice, anyway.

Voldemort continued swiping his wings at the tamarins, things like, "Get outa here, you tree pests, GET OUTA HERE!" and a variety of naughty words exploding from his mouth at the attacking tamarins. Then a "HEY, GIVE BACK MY SHARP-STICK!" erupting from his mouth when his eyes caught one of the tamarins, a dark brown one with a mischievous grin stretching across its face under its enormous white moustached nose, make off with a brown thing with a colourful cluster attached to its end. Leaving the other six to struggle with the other monkeys, Voldemort bolted after the monkey and began to chase it through the branches, screeching at the tamarins as it bounded away, his sharp-stick in tow. Voldemort spat venomous words and threats at the monkey as he continued chasing it through the branches, but the tamarin continued leaping away each time Voldemort got close. It was a struggle for the enormous bat, especially in the cluttered trees which monkeys such as tamarins were built for leaping through. Bats with enormous wings could not fly through that sort of environment for the branches could damage their membranous wings, and Voldemort did not want to risk facing that sort of injury. Reluctantly, he flapped around the outside of the branch clutter, his volcanic eyes fixed upon the tamarin as it bounded about in the branches. Then the monkey stopped and gazed at the flashy cluster of colour on the end of Voldemort's sharp-stick, its eyes widened in fascination. Voldemort saw what the monkey was going to do.

"Don't you DARE!" he bellowed. Too late. The monkey's mouth closed down onto Voldemort's precious collection of trophies and began to tug at it, for the tamarin thought the feathers were some type of fruit. An enraged screech exploded from Voldemort's mouth as the tamarin tore many of the feathers from the sharp-stick and he began to flap against the clutter of branches in his way but could not for he was too big. The monkey, realising that the materials it had bitten down on were not palatable after all, spat out the feathers repulsively, sending the feathers drifting gently down through the tree and towards the canopy. This really made the volcano of temper explode within Voldemort. With an enraged and bloodcurdling screech, the bat began to hack and slash his way through the branches with his foot claws, not caring about the risk to his wing membranes. The tamarin, frightened by the enraged bat, tossed away the sharp-stick, sending it tumbling down the tree, and fled. Voldemort then swooped down to catch his precious weapon, arriving in time to pluck it from the air the moment it emerged from the bottom of the tangled web of branches. Then the bat began to desperately search for the trophies the monkey had torn off his sharp-stick, gathering only a few of them that still danced through the air in the canopy. Then a familiar voice exploded from nearby. At this, the bat shot his gaze at six bats as they flew along. The six were covered with bruises and torn out hairs but then Voldemort noticed something else: four of the six bore several bleeding scratches and bite marks but those marks had not been made by teeth and the reddish female, the one who had called Voldemort, was struggling to fly.

"Voldemort, come on!" she shouted, "Let's retreat to our territory and try again later."

"Did you get that red-feathered worm?" asked Voldemort as he held his stick and some of the feathers he had managed to grab.

"No," said one of the males, "While we were fending off the tamarins, we were suddenly set upon by a bunch of blue and red birds and they viciously attacked us."

Voldemort released a snarl of frustration when suddenly, an enraged screech exploded from a nearby tree. The hideous flying fox had time to turn to the screech's owner to see a blue blur with a pair of talons, their claws outstretched and poised to inflict injury, extended in front of it. Then a moment later, those claws slashed right over Voldemort's face. The other six bats flinched and screeched in shock as the bat wailed in pain, dropping his sharp-stick in agony as he covered his face, now oozing blood. Then the blue blur swerved round and rocketed towards Voldemort again while some red comets exploded from the tree above, aiming straight for the six bats.

"GET OUT, YOU INTRUDERS!" the blue comet bellowed and then without hesitation, it charged right at Voldemort's head and clamped its beak onto his hair, viciously pulling at it. An agonised cry exploded from the evil bat's mouth as a tearing noise sounded as the blue feathered comet tore hair from his head. Then after a sickening rip, the blue form rushed off, a beak-ful of brown hair. Above, the six companions faced another beating from the red forms with green or yellow and blue or teal wings. Phobos, Deimos, Tito and Cherie had charged at the bats and were now attacking them again while Roberto savagely went for Voldemort.

"LET'S GET OUTA HERE!" bellowed the red female as an enraged Phobos's claws raked over her back. The other five bats began to retreat but Voldemort hovered there, his scratched face bleeding. However, an enraged screech exploding from Roberto's beak, along with more screeches and fiery eyes flooded with wrath from eight more Spix macaws who were Carla, Justin, Jojo, Felix, Turquesa, Kira, Músculo and Charlotte as they appeared and gathered around Roberto, their talons raised and claws flared, changed his mind. Roberto, Felix and Jojo's crests were flared out at their fullest, and the other macaws' plumage was also bristled, making them look bigger than they actually were, and their eyes were flooded with wrath, and in some, pure acidic hatred. However, Voldemort's eyes locked with Roberto's and he stiffened.

"I… remember you…" he murmured in a ghostly voice, ignoring the trickling sensation of his scratched face which continued to ooze blood, "When… you were… a chick…"

Suddenly, an ear-piercing screech exploded from Roberto's beak, so loud and piercing that it would shatter glass. It practically made the other macaws cover their ears. Roberto then lurched violently forward at Voldemort and continued screeching, making Voldemort bolt and fly up to his companions in shock. Then the seven bats and the macaws hovered there, their eyes staring daggers at each other, a dreadful silence hanging over them. Then Voldemort broke it.

"You know these lands belong…" he began but Roberto violently cut him off, his volcanic wrath exploding violently within him.

"GET OUT BEFORE I…" he bellowed before a torrent of highly acidic and extremely gruesome words exploded from his beak. Jojo and Felix, thunderstruck by their father's choice of words, covered their ears with their talons to block out the music while Cherie and Tito lurched at the seven bats and bolted them into escaping. Frightened and shocked by the turn of events, Voldemort and his six companions fled into the trees like a bunch of deer escaping a predator. As soon as the hideous bats had disappeared, Roberto and the others' wrath faded and turned to concern as they retreated to the spot where Mars and the other red macaws were.

Moments later, Mars was being treated by the remaining red macaws who had come with him, Cherie, Tito, Phobos and Deimos. Roberto and the others emerged from the trees and perched all around the group.

"We're gonna have to take him either to our tribe or yours," said one of the macaws as he examined the bleeding scratch on Mars's back, "to get this scratch treated."

Phobos and Deimos landed beside their father and gazed at his back where one of the bats had struck. The gashes were hard to see against the deep red sea of feathers covering Mars's back but they could make out some shiny drips coming from them. Mars winced in pain as Roberto came in to examine his injury as well. He had forgotten about the blood still staining his talons after he had clawed Voldemort across his face. While he and the others gathered round, five furry forms lighted down on a nearby branch.

"We'll take him to our tribe," Roberto said, "While you go and alert Felipe and Pearl. We'll use this as evidence to show Blu and Jewel…"

"But Roberto," said Mars through a gritted beak, "Should Felipe and Pearl see this first?"

Roberto gazed at the green-winged macaw, torn as to whether to take him to Felipe's tribe or his own. Then Cherie said, "I know, we'll bring Felipe and Pearl over to your tribe. That way both your leader and ours will see this and hear what we have witnessed and heard."

"That's a good idea, Cherie," said Jojo.

"I think we'll do just that," said Carla. Her face then fell. "I'm not looking forward to seeing Mom and Dad's reaction to what has happened though."

"Then it's settled," said Tito, "We'll go to Felipe and Pearl and tell them what has happened and then bring them over to your tribe while you Spix macaws take Mars to your nurses."

Roberto smiled at the plan while Charlotte, Turquesa, Músculo, Felix, Jojo, Kira and Justin exchanged smiling glances with each other and Phobos and Deimos.However, before the group Deimos's eyes happened to travel in a certain direction and when they landed on something, he screeched "HEY!"

At this, all heads snapped in the direction of Deimos's gaze and when they saw what he saw, horror tore through them. Then Roberto and Cherie, without hesitation, let loose an enraged screech each and launched themselves off the perch at the forms spotted by Deimos, the wrath that fired up within them during the confrontation with Voldemort and his gang taking control once again. Kira and Carla followed. However, as the four macaws approached the forms, which were five bats, the five bats dived out of the way before Cherie and Roberto's talons could make contact, only slamming into the branch. Then a frightened protest exploded from the five bats which were an adult brown male, an adult red-brown female and three younger bats, an adolescent male and two young female pups, all three with white fur.

"Whoa, hold on! We're not gonna hurt you," shouted the brown male.

"We're here to bring you this urgent message!" shouted the female. She screeched as Carla's claws swiped past her. The two white bat pups also dodged Kira's attempts to grab them while the adolescent white male flapped away from an enraged Cherie. Roberto then began to chase after the two adults.

"WE DON'T CARE, YOU PESKY FURBALLS!" he bellowed, his crest violently spiked out and his blue eyes like the flames of burning sulfur, "NOW LEAVE OUR TERRITORY OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!"

The two adult bats, panicked and frightened looks on their faces with a hint of pleading and desperation thrown in there, flapped madly away from the wrathful Spix macaw as he continued chasing them. Then suddenly, three blue and cerulean comets darted in and slammed right into the two adult bats. The two bats screeched in shock as they were flung onto a branch where they were slammed down onto their backs with three macaws upon them. Justin, Charlotte and Turquesa had tackled the two adults and had pinned them with their talons to their necks against the tree branch. Then Músculo, Jojo and Felix shot in and tackled the young white bats and slammed them hard against the branch next to the adult bats. The five bats gazed pleadingly at the wrathful macaws as they had them pinned by their necks against the branches. Justin had the brown male pinned while Charlotte had the red-brown female pinned. Músculo had the adolescent white kale pinned underfoot while Jojo and Felix both had the two white female pups pinned under their talons. Roberto then strolled over to the five bats and glared at them with fiery anger-filled eyes.

"Now you five will do as we tell you," he said threateningly, "to leave our land and return to your colony and never return as soon as those five release…"

The five bats gazed back at Roberto timidly as the handsome Spix macaw then raised a talon, still stained with flying fox blood, and added, "Or else YOU five will be covered with talon scratches as well," barked Roberto fiercely. The five bats shuddered. Then Músculo, Justin, Charlotte, Jojo and Felix flashed an agreeing look at the five bats.

"And make sure you tell your leaders to stop sending in their bats into our land as well," added Charlotte, her grip tightening on the adult red-brown female's throat.

"Or they will be getting a STRONG warning from our leaders," put in Justin. Nearby, Turquesa, Carla, Tito, Phobos, Deimos and Cherie nodded in agreement. The other red macaws and Mars were absent, the former having carried the latter away towards the Spix tribe's ravine for treatment. The five bats nodded timidly. Then Roberto nodded to Músculo, Justin, Charlotte, Jojo and Felix to release them, which they did. As soon as the grips around their necks were lifted, the male and female adult bats dropped into flight with the three white, younger bats following. However, the five stopped into a hover and turned to face the birds once again.

"My name is Augustus," shouted the adult brown male, "And this is Melissa my mate," he nodded to the red-brown female, "And our son Sebastian and young daughters Stella and Luna." He nodded to the three young white bats.

"Sebastian and I were the ones who lured those tamarins to Voldemort and his gang who threatened to take your green-winged macaw friend," added Augustus, the male adult bat, "While Stella, Luna and Melissa snatched him away while Voldemort and his six companions were distracted with the monkeys."

Then Melissa, the red-brown female flapped forward and added, "And make sure you spread this warning to ALL avian residents living here, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, including those weird four-winged lizard-like birds with the metallic feathers: Cicatriz and Iracebeth are planning on kidnapping at least one member from your tribes, clans or groups to bring them back to our colony's territory so that they could extract information about your flocks, your homes and why there hasn't been any logging activity in your land for so many years. So make sure that none of you go out into your territories alone and make sure you keep your chicks, especially any preteen or adolescent chicks, under _strict_ watch!"

Sebastian, Stella and Luna, the young white bats, all squeaked in agreement.

"Our colony wants to drive you out and take your land," added Augustus, making Phobos and Deimos share a shocked look, "Because not only see you as vermin, but they also blame you for…"

"GET OUT!" bellowed Roberto and with that, he lurched forward with Felix, Jojo, Kira and Carla to emphasize their message. Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna then bolted and flapped away into the trees before Roberto threatened to act out his threat. As soon as the five bats had disappeared, Roberto shouted to the others, "Vamos!" and with that, all the Spix, scarlet and green-winged macaws had lofted into flight. As the group flew along, Phobos and Deimos flashed a glance behind them in the direction in which Augustus and his family had been moments before.

"Did you hear what those bats had said?" asked Phobos concerned. Roberto, however, replied, "Look, I don't know and I don't care. Let's just get back to our ravine and get your father treated."

"But the female adult said something about Cicatriz planning on kidnapping some of us for information about our land and tribes or something like that," said Deimos. Kira then felt concern and worry overshadow her, as did Turquesa, Músculo, Charlotte, Justin and Carla.

"You know, Uncle Beto," said Carla, "I kind of agree with Phobos and Deimos."

"I think we should alert our tribe and clans and groups, including Andromeda and Eragon's clan, about what the flying foxes are planning to do," said Justin. At this, Roberto, Felix and Jojo shot him a 'What!?' look.

"Are you saying we should trust those five bats!?" snapped Roberto, making Justin flinch.

"Do you know who that Augustus is related to!?" added Cherie. When Justin and Carla gazed back at the scarlet scoremarker for the red tribe's Pit of Games team, she answered the question for them. "He's the younger brother of that deranged Scarface and the younger son of their equally deranged parents Bruto and Sombra," she growled, "We can't trust him and his family!"

"But what if he is proven right!?" protested Deimos. Cherie and Tito's glares made him shut up.

"Let's just get back to our ravine before we start arguing," muttered Roberto and with that, the macaws all flew off into the trees. However, inside, a strange feeling began to bloom within Roberto, a feeling that was in line with that of Phobos, Deimos, Carla, Kira, Turquesa, Músculo, Charlotte and Justin.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16- another report of a violent attack and attempted kidnapping**

 **Later**

Mars lay on his front in the mini-infirmary run by Nuvem, the cousin of Zephyr and Brisa and his mate Cassia. Roberto, Jojo, Felix, Phobos and Deimos stood around him and the tribe nurse group, including Tyler and Ricardo, the sons of Nuvem and Cassia, and Aurora, Tyler's girlfriend as they continued treating the wound on Mars's back. With them were Blu and Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi. These four had been alerted to a group of flying foxes attacking Roberto's group at the Spix/red border by the macaws that had accompanied Roberto, Jojo, Felix, Carla, Kira, Turquesa, Músculo, Justin and Charlotte to the Brazil nut grove, and they had just sent out a patrol group only to find a group of red macaws haul a wounded Mars towards the ravine. Tito and Cherie had told Blu and the other three that Felipe was on his way, some of the red macaws that had accompanied them, Mars and his two sons to the Brazil nut grove before the attack happened, so Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi were prepared to meet the red tribe leader when he arrived.

As Nuvem and Cassia gently dabbed the weeping gashes running like jaguar claw marks down his back with wet moss to clean it of the oozing blood, Mars winced and flinched from pain each time the moss made contact, uttering cries of pain.

"Ow, ow, OOOW!" he yelped and jerked, his eyes tight shut and beak clenched.

"Oh, keep still you silly green-winged macaw," said Nuvem slightly irritated as the scratch twitched from under his moss as Mars tensed his back, "You're honestly as bad as Blu every time he is startled by a spider."

"Even after all these years of living in the jungle, I still can't stand those creepy-crawlies," said Blu.

"I'm surprised," said Tyler as he tried to keep Mars still.

"Is it any wonder your youngest son and daughter, Luke and Linda like to prank you with one each time you tried to sleep in like how Tiago and Matilda did," said Ricardo with a titter. Blu just flashed him an annoyed look.

"Good way to give you a wake-up call," added Aurora as she passed Cassia some more wet moss at her command. Eduardo smiled at his son-in-law. "At least he's not doing that as often when he first arrived with my daughter and first three grandkids," he said with a slight smile. Mimi just tittered but said nothing. Mars flinched again as Cassia's moss contacted his scratch, much to her irritation.

"I'm sorry to keep wincing," he told the Spix tribe nurses, "But these scratches are so painful." He breathed a sigh. "I honestly could not believe those bats had the _audacity_ to take us by surprise like that, but based on what that hulking brown male with the hideous scars all over his face and body spoke to me, it certainly did send shivers…" he winced again as Nuvem dabbed one of his scratches with more wet moss, "Down my spine. It didn't sound good…"

"That was Voldemort, didn't you know," growled Jewel, "One of the most dangerous bats in the colony."

"He was one of the murderers of Roberto's family and the one Venus met shortly after the fire," added Blu.

"Hideous bat," put in Mimi disgustedly. Eduardo nodded in agreement. "Most birds are terrified of that horrible piece of work in particular," he said, "and are often too afraid to stand up to him. But you, Mars, seem to be an exception."

"Especially if he has companions with him," added Mimi. Mars just sighed and winced again as his scratches yelped as Nuvem and Cassia continued dabbing his injury. Then a pattering of talons reached the group's ears. Within moments, a pigtailed Spix macaw with maya blue feathers, along with her mate and her younger son and daughter, and also an older male and a female macaw arrived, concerned looks on their faces.

"Mars are you okay?" asked Venus when she saw Mars lie on his front.

"We came as soon as we heard from Justin, Charlotte and Carla about what happened," said Zephyr, his mother Gael and uncle Viento (who was the father of Nuvem and the grandfather of Tyler and Ricardo) flanking him.

"And when we heard that you had been attacked by some flying foxes," said Gael, we hurried off to see you in the infirmary."

"It must have been a terrifying ordeal," said Viento. Matilda and Virgil just looked on and said nothing. Mars just sighed again.

"Nothing serious, folks but thanks for your appreciation," he said. Eduardo and Mimi, however, shook their heads disagreeably, as did Blu and Jewel.

"Nothing serious?" repeated Eduardo in a disbelieving growl, "A group of bats trying to kidnap you using brute force; does THAT sound like nothing serious to YOU!?"

Mars flinched as Eduardo shouted this. Blu however, used a gentler voice.

"Mars," he said, "You can't simply dismiss what those bats tried to do to you back there in the Brazil nut grove as nothing serious at all."

"That's right," said Roberto with a frown, "This IS a serious matter."

Mars sighed again.

"Mars," said Jewel, "What did those bats say to you when they tried to take you away?"

Mars gazed at the matriarch with sad eyes. He could not remember much about the confrontation between Voldemort and his gang that would have escalated into a violent kidnapping had those tamarins not interfered. However, he told what he could remember.

"That hulking bat said something to me like, 'you're gonna come with us back to our territory!"' or something like that," he said. Then Mars launched into an explanation at how he was at sharp-stick point by those seven bats with some of the points dangerously close to the carotid artery area of the neck, how he told them just to kill him there and then only for them to refuse and some other things. After he had finished, Blu, Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi, Zephyr and Venus, Viento and Gael exchanged horrified glances.

"What did those bats want to take you back to their territory for?" asked Blu. Mars was about to answer when the sounds of several flapping pairs of wings reached the ears of the group. At this, the Spix macaws all parted and in came a familiar male scarlet macaw with green eyes and some other macaws from the red tribe, among them a familiar unusually green-winged macaw and the brother of Phobos and Deimos. Roberto, Jojo and Felix, Phobos and Deimos parted to allow the red tribe leader through.

"Mars," said Felipe in horror, "We heard what had happened at the Spix/red border in the Brazil nut grove."

"What happened to your back?" asked Chiquitita when she and Alexandre saw Nuvem, Cassia, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora and the tribe nurses continue to clean Mars's scratched back. Mars winced in pain.

"The flying foxes happened," he murmured in slight pain, "One of them has brutally clawed me down the back."

"We were jumped by a group of seven of them at the border," explained Roberto, "Most of us managed to escape but Mars was too slow and ended up caught."

"And before we knew it, we saw that he was surrounded by those bats armed with those spear-like sticks," added Phobos. Some of the Spix macaws flinched in horror as they recognised what Phobos was talking about.

"Sharp-sticks," hissed Mimi under her breath.

"One of the most common weapons wielded in the colony," added Gael.

"They tried to kidnap him," said Jojo. When Felipe, Chiquitita, Alexandre and their companions heard this, shock and fury flared up within them.

"Don't tell me that deranged psycho of a bat colony leader is planning on targeting and kidnapping birds now!?" snarled the red tribe patriarch loudly. Roberto then bit his lower beak as Augustus and Melissa's words repeated in his mind.

 _Melissa:_ _Cicatriz and Iracebeth are planning on kidnapping at least one member from your tribes, clans or groups to bring them back to our colony's territory so that they could extract information about your flocks, your homes and why there hasn't been any logging activity in your land for so many years._

 _Augustus: Our colony wants to drive you out and take your land._

Phobos and Deimos, Jojo and Felix also replayed these words and began to shudder. Fear and dread then began to take hold within Roberto as well. The former four, and eventually Roberto as well, wanted to tell Eduardo, Felipe and the others about what those two bats had said but they weren't sure of their reaction would be. After all, the flying foxes were the sworn enemies of every bird in the Amazon, always after land and treating anyone with feathers like dirt, such as driving tribes, clans and groups of them out of their land so that they could populate it and add it to their expanding territory. The conflict between the birds and the flying foxes had been going on for generations, even before Eduardo and Mimi and their generation were born. Should they trust Augustus and Melissa and their kids Sebastian, Stella and Luna? Were they being genuinely honest? Or were those five really just playing a trick on their minds, another thing the flying foxes were also infamous for? As the conflicting argument continued to play out in the five macaws' minds, there was commotion from outside. At this, Jewel's gaze snapped to the entrance of the infirmary tree.

"Now what's up!?" she barked. At this, Blu, Eduardo, Mimi, Roberto, Venus and Zephyr, Viento and Gael bolted like frightened forest deer to outside, followed by Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Chiquitita, Felipe and the other accompanying red macaws. Nuvem and his family stayed behind with the other tribe nurses and Mars but Aurora walked to the hollow entrance to look out.

"That doesn't sound good out there," murmured Mars worriedly. Outside, Eduardo and company's eyes had landed on a massive tidal wave of cerulean and blue dotted with an occasional splash of odd colours, some of them shiny like gemstones, for some friends from the Lear's, green and blue-and-gold tribes and Andromeda's clan were visiting, as they converged on something entering the ravine.

"Blu, Jewel, LOOK!" cried Jojo with a point of a wing at the focal point. At this, Blu and Jewel's eyes travelled to the said focal point and when they saw some familiar faces in a group of birds as they struggled into the ravine, their wings shot out and they lofted into flight. Roberto, Jojo, Felix, Zephyr, Venus, Matilda and Virgil, Viento and Gael followed when they also saw some familiar faces in the group.

Coming into the ravine was a battered group of birds, most of them Spix macaws, but some of them were blue-and-gold macaws and two were archaeobirds on their bat-birds. Most of them looked as though they had been in a vicious fight with something for they were covered in cuts and bruises and some bald patches where feathers had been ripped out, and one of the bat-birds looked like it was struggling to fly. As the bedraggled group lighted clumsily down on the sandy floor as the sea of macaws and archaeobirds converged upon them, some of the macaws in the arrivals, Tiago, Lavender, Garrett, and Titan, Brooke, Dione and Porthos and their friend Bastian, and one of the archaeobirds, Spock, looked especially badly shaken. They, along with the other macaws, had been on a foraging trip when something had attacked them. As the crowd of Spix, blue-and-gold, green and Lear's macaws and several archaeobirds began to fuss over the bedraggled group, Eduardo, Mimi, Blu, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Matilda, Virgil, Roberto, Jojo, Felix, Viento, Gael and Phobos, Deimos, Chiquitita and Alexandre touched down along with Kira, Justin, Carla, Bia and Charlotte who had also heard the commotion while they were talking to some friends from the green tribe, among them Titania and Ash. Then when Blu and Jewel's eyes, along with those of Matilda, Kira, Carla and Bia's eyes, landed on Tiago and saw that he had a scratch across his torso, alarm tore through them. Without hesitation, the six rushed over to him while Roberto, Jojo and Felix ran over to Lavender and Garrett, the former who had a small scratch on her cheek and a bald patch on her belly and the latter who was missing some tail flight feathers and was flying clumsily. Garrett's tail was nothing more than a stump of feathers with one or two tail flight feathers jutting out from the stump, but it affected his ability to fly properly.

Some blue-and-gold macaws, among them Tethys and Iapetus, then hurried over to Titan, Brooke, Dione, Porthos and Bastian through the Spix crowd while the archaeobirds, among them Ophiuchus who was visiting the Spix tribe with his mate Honeydew, fussed over Spock and the other archaeobird. Like their Spix friends, Titan, Brooke, Dione, Porthos and Bastian looked badly shaken and Dione, Porthos and Bastian only had a few minor cuts and scratches. However, Titan and Brooke looked worse. Titan's head ruffle was almost entirely missing with only a few tufts of feathers hanging from where said ruffle normally was and he was limping, his left talon dotted with tooth marks that wept blood while Brooke clasped her injured belly, her face twisted in agony similar to Mars. Spock had lost some flight feathers from his left fore-wing, right hind-wing (leg) and tail and scratches and bald patches marked his body from where some of his metallic aqua blue feathers had been ripped out while his bat-bird was covered in cuts and bruises, the largest of its cut on its right wing, hindering its ability to fly properly. Those that bore the worst scratches winced in pain. Then Venus and Zephyr rushed over to Titan and Brooke.

"Titan, Brooke," cried Venus in horror, "Look at the state of you! What happened?"

Then Dione came over. "We were suddenly set upon by a group of flying foxes while we were foraging in the mango tree grove," said she. At this, horrified gasps rolled through the crowd. Then Porthos explained further.

"Many of them were armed with spear-like sticks with some colourful feathers tied to one end," he said, "And they just jumped out at us from some nearby trees while we were chatting and picking mangoes to bring back here."

"However, it was not just an ordinary attack," said Bastian. More horrified gasps rolled through the crowd. Then Ophiuchus, who fussed over Spock with Honeydew, asked, "How was it not an ordinary attack?"

At this, Porthos nodded to Tiago, Lavender, Dione and Spock and said, "While we were fighting back against that group of flying foxes, we noticed some of them fly off with these four in their clutches."

"We were forced to attack those attempted kidnappers to rescue those four," explained the other archaeobird, a metallic green female, "But sadly…"

"Some of us got badly injured," said Spock. "I was forced to violently fight back against my kidnapper but he proved more than a match for me, especially with that muscular build."

He then showed them his tattered tail plumes, and then his right leg and left fore-wing and added, "During the skirmish, two more bats came in and grabbed me by the right hind-wing and left fore-wing and tail feathers, resulting in some feathers getting torn out."

Some of the audience winced at the extreme pain Spock must have faced, and Phobos, Deimos, Chiquitita and Alexandre remembered how Jupiter had faced a similar ordeal with the late cat Brutus during his group's escape from the smugglers' den years ago.

"My bat-bird also came to my rescue but he was violently attacked," added Spock. Then Tiago, while Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia, Kira and Matilda continued to fuss over him, came in to explain.

"Three of our companions were badly injured," he said, "Two of them being Rhea, one of Titan and Dione's sisters, and Aurora's younger brother, Sergio. Those two were with us when it happened."

When Aurora heard this from the entrance to the infirmary, she felt horror flare up within her. Sergio was her younger brother and he, together with Rhea, had gone out foraging with the group. Then Garrett continued, "When Rhea viciously attacked the bat that attempted to kidnap Tiago, the bat fought back and dislocated her wing by grabbing her and spinning her around and around, faster and faster until she began to emit a piercing screech of agony. While that happened, Sergio and I attacked another bat attempting to take Lavender. However, Sergio was stabbed by that bat's sharp-stick and ended up badly injured while Lavender got scratched across the face and I was bitten on the tail by another bat who yanked out most of my tail flight feathers like how the flight feathers from Spock's wing, leg and tail were torn out. We had to take Sergio and Rhea to the animal hospital with the third casualty, an archaeobird named Glimmergem who had suffered a broken wing."

"One of the flying foxes had violently whacked her on the wing with a sharp-stick with some sort of stone tied to it when she was trying to rescue me," said Spock, "As for her bat-bird, she hadn't been so lucky. Another flying fox had fatally stabbed her through the chest with its spear-like stick, killing her instantly. There was nothing we could do about that poor bat-bird."

"Rhea, Glimmergem, Sergio, however, are safe at the hospital, being treated for their injuries," said Titan, wincing from the pain radiating from his bitten talon and standing on his other talon, the one that was unharmed, "while the rest of us had barely managed to escape. That group of flying foxes had retreated, thankfully, when a patrol of Lear's macaws from Waldo and Monique's tribe came to our rescue after hearing the trouble. They were, in fact, the ones who had taken the three casualties away while the rest of them escorted us back to here."

"We told them to leave and report this to Waldo and Monique quickly," said Brooke. It took a while for the listeners to absorb this information. During this time, Phobos and Deimos began to chat with Roberto quietly.

"Do you think we should tell everyone about what those two flying foxes told us, Roberto?" Deimos whispered.

"I feel that we should give out this information, regardless of how negative the reaction these guys might have against us trusting those two flying foxes by the names of Augustus and Melissa," said Phobos. Roberto gazed back at the two unusually small green-winged macaws and began to think about this. While the trio chatted, Ophiuchus came forward, a look of thunder on his face.

"I think it's about time we did something, Blu, Jewel and Felipe," he snarled. He then turned to face Tiago and the others including Spock and asked, "Were there any deliberate intentions those bats had when they tried taking Spock away or did they mistake him for another target?"

Tiago, Lavender, Garrett, Titan, Brooke, Dione, Porthos and Bastian and the others with them all exchanged glances when Spock spoke.

"Well, after I was grabbed and I tried fighting back," he said, "that attempted kidnapper snapped back at me things like, "You're coming with me, four-winged varmint," and things like that, so that implies that those bats were trying to take me away," he then nodded to Tiago, Lavender and Dione and added, "the same with those three."

This sent more horrified gasps rolling through the crowd. In the crowd, Brisa, who had Chilro and Ophelia in her talons, flew over to the battered foraging group towards Lavender. She had just heard the news about what had happened. While she did that, her sons Jojo and Felix began to exchange glances with Carla and Kira, Bia, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil.

"That sounds eerily like Uncle Mars's incident," said Virgil in horror.

"Brute force and attempted kidnap," said Carla, "And the violence involved resulting in injuries. It definitely sounds similar to what we saw what ordeal Uncle Mars faced."

"Andromeda and Eragon are gonna go berserk after hearing what had almost happened to Spock as well as Glimmergem and her bat-bird and also Sparklemoss," said Kira, nodding to the metallic green female archaeobird who wore a worried and frightened look on her face. Then Roberto, Phobos and Deimos went over to Blu, Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi and Felipe and began to explain something to them.

"Guys," said Roberto timidly, Phobos and Deimos flanking him, "There is something else we have to tell you as well, but you're not gonna like it."

The four Spix macaws and scarlet macaw eyed him suspiciously.

"What's that?" asked Jewel in a growl. Phobos then stepped forward.

"While we were looking over Dad and his scratch," he explained, "Five more flying foxes approached us. They were two adults and three youngsters, one adolescent and the other two pups, all with white fur."

"Oh, and what heinous plan did those five furballs have?" asked Blu suspiciously.

"Another trick hidden in those membranous wings of theirs, I believe," said Felipe, his wings crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Well first off, those flying foxes weren't hostile or determined to kidnap any of us," said Deimos. At this, scoffing laughs escaped Blu, Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi and Felipe's beaks.

"Oh, yeah, perhaps they're feigning being timid so that they could trick you," said Mimi sarcastically. At this, Jojo and Felix came forward to support their father and the two green-winged macaw brothers while Chiquitita and Alexandre joined Blu and the other four, disbelieving looks on their faces.

"No, those five bats were being genuinely timid," said Jojo.

"And the adult brown female told us to warn you guys and the other tribes, clans and groups," said Phobos, and he nodded to Spock, Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Sparklemoss and the other archaeobirds with them and added, "Including, as she described those archaeobirds, 'weird four-winged lizard-like birds with the metallic feathers', that Cicatriz and Iracebeth are planning on kidnapping at least one member from them to take back to their colony's territory to extract information about us, our habitat and something else."

Roberto, at this, remembered Melissa's words again. "And why we have not seen logging activity for so long," he added.

"She also told us to not go out into our territories alone," said Deimos, "And to keep our chicks under strict supervision."

Disbelieving gasps rolled through the crowd as Ophiuchus stepped forward.

"Do you know the names of those pesky flying mammals who told you this?" he asked. Roberto, Phobos, Jojo and Felix, at this, shook their heads but Deimos remembered the names of three of them.

"One of them was named Augustus, he was the brown male," he said, "While another, the adult female with auburn fur was called Melissa and I think Sebastian was the name of the white male pup. I can't remember the names of the other two, which were both female white pups who appeared very young but…"

When Deimos mentioned Augustus and Sebastian, Carla and Ophiuchus mouthed these two names in surprise. Those two names sounded familiar. Bia, Tiago, Kira and Spock also felt familiarity prick at them. Blu, Jewel, Felipe, Eduardo and Mimi and most of the rest of the crowd, however, jeered at the names.

"Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian!?" repeated Blu disgustedly, "But those three are relatives of that deranged patriarch of the flying fox colony!"

"Yes," said Gael who stood with Zephyr, Venus, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil, and also another macaw who held Azurite and Aquamarine (Zephyr and Venus's youngest chicks), in her wings for she was a babysitter. Viento, Brisa and Lavender also stood by, disbelieving looks plastering their faces.

"Augustus is the younger brother of Cicatriz while Melissa is his mate and Sebastian is their son," said Viento, "While the two other pups of those two bats are their daughters Stella and Luna."

"And because those five are related to Cicatriz through Augustus," said Felipe, "They're likely to be as deranged and as psychotic as him and his mate Iracebeth, and their pups Veruca and Iago!"

Roberto then moved on, a determined frown on his face. "Well, as ridiculous as it sounds," he said, "We might have to trust them."

Then before Blu, Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi, Felipe and any of the others could protest, Roberto called to the other macaws and archaeobirds.

"May I have your attention please?" he barked so that all ears heard him. However, jeers and boos emanated from the crowd and travelled towards Roberto in reply.

"We can't trust that deranged brother of Cicatriz!"

"What if this is some kind of trick he's plotting?"

Brisa also shot her mate a disapproving glare and shook her head.

"You've got to be joking," she said to Roberto. Zephyr and Venus also agreed with Brisa. Roberto, however, adamantly continued trying to silence the crowd. But the continued jeers and boos drowned out his attempts. At this, Jewel took action.

"SILENCE, ALL OF YOU!" she bellowed, making Roberto jump. This was enough to quell the jeers and boos. Eduardo smiled at his daughter.

"That's my girl," he said proudly. Mimi also smiled at her niece as she fluttered up.

"If Beto here has something important to tell you then listen to him," she called. And with that, she touched back down and nodded to Roberto.

"Thanks, Ju-Ju," he said and with that, he turned his attention to the now-quiet crowd.

"Now, this may sound crazy since Augustus is the brother of that infamously deranged leader of the flying fox colony but what he and his mate told us about what the flying foxes are planning to do might be of great significance."

All ears braced themselves to listen to what Roberto had to say.

"Based on the two attacks that we have had today including one of Felipe's tribe members," he nodded to Felipe, "I believe that the flying fox colony is planning on invading our land."

Horrified gasps rolled through the crowd and mothers, including Venus, Brisa and Chiquitita, pulled their chicks closer to themselves.

"And also based on what Augustus and Melissa have told us at the Brazil nut grove," said Roberto, "Cicatriz is planning on kidnapping at least one or two members from our tribes, clans and groups, including Andromeda's clan…"

Spock, Ophiuchus, Honeydew and the other archaeobirds all shuddered as Roberto continued.

"… and then take them back to his colony's territory to force them into giving the bats information about our tribes, clans and groups, our habitat and why there has been no logging activity for the past number of years. They also told us that the reason why they are doing that is because the bats want to drive us out of our land so that they could take it for themselves. Therefore we MUST NEVER go out into our territories alone and we MUST keep our chicks under strict supervision. Do you all get that?"

More murmurs rolled through the crowd while Brisa, Blu and Jewel shot Roberto a thunderstruck look. Some of the macaws began to discuss among themselves. However, everyone agreed not to go out alone and to keep their chicks under watch at all times. Then as soon as Roberto had given out this important information, he finished with, "Right, dismissed!"

After this, the crowd, now feeling more at ease but still on edge, began to disperse. While the Spix, Lear's, green, blue-and-gold macaws and archaeobirds dispersed, Felipe, Roberto, Blu, Jewel, Mimi, Eduardo and some of the others helped Tiago, Dione, Spock and his bat-bird and the rest of the foraging group to Nuvem and Cassia's infirmary tree. As they went along, Felipe looked worried.

"I'm gonna have to pass on this important information to my tribe," he said, "And also to everyone else living on the Sanctuary de Amazon."

"Then make sure you do that," said Eduardo as he helped his grandson to the infirmary with Jewel, Kira, Carla, Bia and Matilda, "They have to know this."

As the group moved along, Brisa gave Roberto a stink eye.

"I can't believe that some of those sworn enemies of every bird in the Amazon would give you this sort of information, Roberto," she snarled bitterly, "Are you sure this is true!?"

"Well, based on what some of the truly hostile flying foxes attempted to do to Dad, Aunt Brisa," said Phobos, "And also to Tiago, Dione, Spock and Lavender based on their information, it would seem so."

"After all, how else are those flying foxes gonna know about us and our territories without running into serious trouble with us?" asked Deimos. At this, Blu and Jewel began to think while Ophiuchus began to ponder over the previous time he had seen the two bats called Augustus and Sebastian. Then when it came to him, he said, "Wait, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Spock, Honeydew."

"What is it, Ophiuchus?" asked Honeydew. Spock and the four said Spix macaws also gazed at him.

"Do you six remember when we went to visit Alonso's tribe but had to be escorted back to your tribe's territory?" asked Ophiuchus. When none of the six answered, he said, "We observed a pair of bats behave rather strangely. In fact quite the opposite to the other bats; while the others were determined to spy on our land and cause trouble wherever they could, those two looked wary that they were in the wrong…"

As he said this, Carla pieced together both sightings of those two bats, named Augustus and Sebastian, in her mind. Then it clicked into place. The adult male brown bat and the adolescent white male had been the same pair she had seen with her brother, sister, cousin and Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Spock and Spyro and their bat-birds and Bellerophon and Pandora while they were being escorted back to the Spix/green border.

"Of course," Carla blurted out in realisation, "I remember seeing those two bats before!"

"So do I," said Kira.

At this, the others shot her and Carla a confused look.

"Seen those two bats before?" asked Blu confused.

"Augustus and Sebastian," said Carla, "I remember the previous time we have seen those two in the green tribe's territory with uncertain looks on their faces before that Iracebeth called them away. He was the one who warned us that Cicatriz and his colony want to drive us out and take our land..."

"So it's true he and that white bat, and possibly the female red-brown bat and the two younger white pups are aware of what's going on?" asked Kira.

"You mean they know that our land is under the threat of their invasion?" asked Dione.

"But how?" asked Porthos confused. Brooke, Titan and Bastian only exchanged confused glances with Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil, unsure of what to say about this. Blu, however, interrupted.

"Look, let's just get these casualties to our tribe nurses," he said, "We'll discuss this later."

Carla and Kira sighed and continued helping Tiago, Spock, Dione and the others to the infirmary with Blu, Jewel, Mimi, Eduardo and the others with them while Felipe planned on returning to his tribe to pass on the information, regardless of whether it had come from a flying fox or not.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17- Cicatriz and Iracebeth scorn the warning letters**

As the day went on by, the warning Augustus and Melissa had delivered to Roberto and company had spread throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon and soon, the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous macaw tribe, Andromeda's clan, the red, the green, the Lear's and the blue-and-gold tribes and the blue-throated macaw and Bluewing Clans and all the smaller groups, among them the golden conures, the blue-headed macaws and the chestnut-fronted macaws had received the message. Following this, action had been taken to prevent similar incidents that had happened to Mars and also to Tiago's foraging group. Macaws and other birds had all been forbidden from going out alone to prevent the roaming flying foxes from targeting them. Furthermore, patrol and foraging groups had been expanded so that the advantage of safety in numbers was used. If one group was violently attacked by a group of flying foxes, backups would come to their rescue. During this, the tribe and clan leaders had put their consideration of sending Cicatriz and Iracebeth a reminder of the truce made between them and their colony as well as a strong warning via a letter on a large leaf telling them to call off the constant intrusions and attacks of their bats and return them to their side. Blu and Jewel sent theirs from the Spix macaw tribe while Felipe and Pearl wrote the red tribe's warnings, as did Alonso and Verde for the green tribe, Waldo and Monique for the Lear's tribe, Soleado and Zoie for the blue-and-gold tribe, Demetrio, Violeta, Reynaldo and Anita for the Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans, and Flavio and Rudi and Valeria for the Navyfeather Clan and the glaucous macaw tribe and also on behalf of Andromeda and Eragon's clan and the other birds living on the Sanctuary de Amazon. This done, messenger groups were then sent with the letters to give to any passing group of flying foxes they find so that they could pass them on to Cicatriz and Iracebeth.

While this process was happening, in the home of the blue-and-gold tribe, the blue-headed macaw group and other avian residents had been evacuated to the tribe's home patch for their safety. Due to the flying foxes flying around, the space in the territory had become unsafe for the smaller close-knit residents. While the blue-and-gold macaws helped these birds into any spare tree they could find while others sought to the food stocks, Skyla, Jairo and Mariposa sat on a perch watching as aqua blue and yellow forms directed various forms of various colours to their temporary residence in despair. Like Tiago's foraging group and Mars's group earlier, a violent flying fox attack and attempted kidnap had taken place, with some of the resident toucans being targeted which was the reason behind the non-tribe or clan residents' evacuation by Soleado's tribe to the blue-and-gold macaws where they will be safe.

"I can't believe this is happening, dear," said Skyla sombrely as she watched another family of blue-headed macaws carry a clutch of eggs and chicks too young to fly toward a nest, as directed by Saturn and another blue-and-gold macaw, "It's like a living nightmare."

She then shuddered as she remembered the incident with her club. Jairo then shot his mate a thunderous look. "Well I hope that warning Soleado and Zoie is going to send with the other tribe and clan leaders will knock some sense into that deranged flying fox colony patriarch's which skull to stop his bats' constant intrusions and violent attacks," he growled, "It's been going on long enough, it's making our territories unsafe, it's intimidating the residents and striking fear into us and it's interfering with our daily lives of foraging and that…"

Skyla breathed a sigh of sadness. Indeed the flying fox intrusions were. Since the problem had escalated to frequent intrusions, classes from Soleado's tribe had been completely forbidden for the safety of the chicks while the patrol and foraging groups had been doubled from a minimum of seven to that of fourteen. While her parents talked, Mariposa stood with her wing on a thick twig rising up from the perch, her head resting on it, a bored and sad look on her face. She missed the home of her group's habitat ad wanted to return there but under Soleado and Zoie's strict rules and groups of flying foxes continuously roaming the territory, particularly dangerously close to the habitat where the blue-headed macaws lived, that was forbidden. Like her father and everyone else, Mariposa had hoped that the message will remind Cicatriz of the truce and prompt him to stop his intrusions. While Mariposa was lost in thought about this, she heard the sounds of frantic flapping. At this, she snapped back to reality and saw an aqua blue and yellow comet shoot past, which appeared to be Saturn, followed by murmurings rolling through the flock. The murmurings also alerted Jairo and Skyla and they saw a wave of blue and yellow macaws sweep down from dozens of trees and towards something.

"Now what's up!?" growled Jairo angrily. Then Skyla's eyes landed on the focal point of the crowd.

"Looks like Titan and company have returned from their visit to the Spix macaw tribe," she said, "But it sounds like that something nasty has happened."

When Mariposa heard this, she darted her wings out and lofted into flight to follow the crowd.

"Mariposa, get back here," called Skyla and with that, her wings shot out and lifted her off the perch. Jairo followed seconds after. As Mariposa and her parents rocketed towards the focal point of the blue and yellow wave, that focal point came to rest on a large perch. They were indeed Titan, Dione, Brooke, Porthos, Bastian, Tethys and Iapetus and the other blue-and-gold macaws that had been visiting the Spix macaws and Blu and Jewel had sent them back here for their safety. With the group of blue and yellow birds, some Spix macaws were present, the group's escorts. Saturn was the first to arrive on the scene with Mimas and Enceladus close behind. Orquidea was back at the nest tending to Hyperion and Gordon, her and Saturn's second brood of chicks. When Saturn, Mimas and Enceladus's eyes landed on the state of five of the macaws, especially Brooke who had a large leaf around her stomach and Titan with another large leaf on his left talon and limping, alarm tore through them.

"Good grief, you five," cried Saturn incredulously, "What on earth has happened to you five?"

"And where is Rhea?" asked Mimas. As she said this, Brooke and Bastian's parents rushed over to the said two macaws when Iapetus came forward, a Spix macaw escort by his side.

"While we were in the Spix tribe's territory," he said, "Titan's group was suddenly attacked by a group of flying foxes, many of them armed, who attempted to take some of them away."

"Specifically Tiago, one of Blu and Jewel's sons," said the Spix macaw, "Dione, Lavender and Spock, the cousin of Andromeda, Anakin and Ophiuchus from the archaeobird clan."

Saturn stood there, utterly stunned.

"And where's Rhea?" asked Enceladus.

"She's been taken to the animal hospital with two other casualties with the help of some of the Lear's macaws from Waldo's tribe," said Titan, "During the skirmish, she suffered a dislocated wing while trying to rescue Tiago, while I was bitten on the left talon and Brooke was clawed across the stomach while dealing with the other bats. furthermore, Dione, Lavender and Spock were almost taken."

As he said this, Skyla, Jairo and Mariposa touched down, horrified looks plastering their faces while Soleado and Zoie came in.

"So you were brutally attacked as well!?" blurted out Jairo in immense shock. Then Saturn began to fuss over the four blue-and-gold macaws who had been visiting the Spix macaw tribe.

"Well, from now on, you lot," he said firmly, "You're gonna stay in our patch for your safety."

His gaze then moved from Titan, Iapetus, Dione, Porthos, Brooke, Bastian and Tethys to Enceladus and Mimas. "The same goes for you two as well."

"But Dad," protested Enceladus, "I have a sleepover for a week with Trixie's family in the Bluewings and blue-throated macaw clan's territory."

"I don't want to risk any of our offspring getting hurt or kidnapped, son," snapped Saturn sternly, flashing a glance at Dione, "If Rhea suffered a dislocated wing and had to go to the hospital while she was almost taken by those pesky furballs, then I am not gonna take any chances with the rest of you."

Enceladus breathed a disappointed sigh when Porthos said, "I'm sure Enceladus will be in good wings. Hyacinth macaws are very strong and protective, I've been told."

Saturn then gazed at the young muscularly built blue-and-gold macaw and frowned. "Well, we'll see how things go but the last thing Orquidea and I want is any of you getting hurt at the clutches of those flying furballs."

Porthos and Enceladus just flashed each other a glance before moving on with the others. As Titan's group flew along, breaking up along the way as the blue-and-gold macaws went their separate ways to their families' hollows, Mariposa, Skyla and Jairo, now accompanied by Kiawe who had followed some of the blue-headed macaws when he saw Titan's group return, talked with Dione, Tethys and Iapetus.

"I can't believe those flying foxes would do this to your sister, poor Glimmergem and Aurora's younger brother," said Mariposa in a disgusted growl, "Are those three alright?"

"They are," said Dione, "They're safe at the hospital being treated for their injuries. Glimmergem's bat-bird, however, had died during the attack."

"I hope Tiago, Spock, Lavender and you are alright," said Kiawe concerned.

"We heard what had happened and how you four were almost taken by those bats," said Jairo as he flew alongside Skyla. Dione shuddered.

"It was honestly a beastly nightmare," she whimpered, "At first we thought those bats were going to kill us but when I was snagged and carried off, we realised that they had something else in mind."

"And when Roberto explained what this flying fox named Augustus told him, it seemed to make sense," said Brooke, "Those flying foxes want some of us for information."

Jairo made an unsurprised gaze. "I know, we've heard the message spread over the past few hours," he said, "And now Soleado and Zoie are planning on sending that patriarch and his mate a written warning."

The group of blue-and-gold macaws all sighed. Then a bratty voice said nearby, "Well, I hope those flying foxes would pack up their intrusions and leave us in peace."

At this, Jairo, Skyla, Kiawe, Mariposa and Tethys, Dione, Titan, Brooke, Bastian and Porthos's heads snapped to the speaker, a familiar bratty Spix macaw with her daughter and her many chicks and some friends. Mertle and Aguamarina all wore condescending facial expressions as they pierced the group with their gazes, as did Aguamarina's mate and most of their chicks, which were about a dozen. Aguamarina and her family had moved from the Spix macaw tribe to settle in a little patch of their own in the blue-and-gold tribe's territory. However their little patch was fairly close to the border nearest to the border to the flying fox colony's land.

"We hope to move back into our home once things had calmed down," crooned Mertle in a purr.

"You will once Soleado and Zoie are certain that the territory is safe," said Jairo, "They are not gonna risk any of the non-tribe and clan residents living in their tribe's territory getting kidnapped for information."

"And believe me," added Skyla, her voice tainted with malice as she began to talk about the deranged patriarch of the flying fox colony, "I believe that Scarface and his mate might be searching for any target to extract information from, not just the members of the macaw tribes or clans."

Mertle gazed back at the blue-headed macaw as if the subject was not important, as did Aguamarina, her mate and many of their friends and chicks apart from a few, much to the chagrin of Skyla and Jairo. The group decided to leave the rather bratty group of Spix macaws and return to their trees.

"I can't believe those bratty birds would treat this situation very lightly," said Dione with a frown, "They're as proud and arrogant as ever. No wonder Aunt Jewel had them leave the Spix tribe."

"Well, one of these days, they will have to learn not to let their pride get the better of them during serious times like this," said Jairo. "Anyway, let's take you back to your parents' trees."

Dione, Tethys, Iapetus, Titan, Brooke, Bastian and Porthos all sighed and followed Jairo and his family.

 **Later**

Back in the flying foxes' territory, the flying foxes continued their daily business. Bat pups and adolescents continued attending bird fighting classes, mercilessly beating the bird dummies to pulps, adults flew about the trees, foraging and patrolling and more bats continued rehearsing their combat skills with their weapons such as sharp-sticks. In one tree, a hideous male bat was having his scratched face treated by some colony nurses who used special medicinal plants to treat the healed-up gashes across his face where Roberto had struck him. While the miffed Voldemort continued to sit on a root, wincing slightly from the stinging scratches each time the plants made contact, Iracebeth, together with Veruca and Iago, flew in.

"I'm sorry for our failed task in nabbing one or two of them feathered jungle scum, Iracebeth," muttered Voldemort grumpily, "That Spix pig with the mop of head feathers gave me a right slashing across the face."

"I can see that," said Iracebeth. Veruca and Iago just flanked her and said nothing. Then Voldemort gazed up at Iracebeth. "By the way, how are the other spies doing?" he asked, wincing again from the cries of pain from his scratch as the colony nurse dabbed a ball of moss soaked with healing plant paste onto it. An evil grin spread across Iracebeth's face.

"They're still out there in the feathered worms' territory looking for victims to snatch and haul back here, Voldemort," she said, "But the spy groups that had been in the territory of those clans of blue-throated and the Bluewing hyacinth macaws have managed to gather enough information about those birds' territory and the size of the clans. Some have managed to reach the home patch of those two macaws and have brought back this report. Cicatriz is now planning an attack on that territory," Iracebeth flashed a glance to outside, "…hopefully tonight. It's a cloudless night tonight with a full moon so, the conditions are ideal for an attack…"

Voldemort smiled; the first smile he had formed in a while. For most of the day he had worn a grumpy look for failing to catch a macaw for interrogation, especially after Roberto had brutally attacked him, not to mention what the pack of tamarins had done to his collection of precious trophies on his sharp-stick. Voldemort detested losing or having his pride crushed and always sulked for ages. Furthermore, he sometimes had a volcanic temper.

"So our spies have managed to gather enough information about the Bluewings and the blue-throated macaws without needing to kidnap one or two members from those clans?" he said amazed, "That's remarkable."

"It's a rare accomplishment," said Iracebeth proudly, "We don't often invade territories without extracting information from some members of a bird tribe or clan, you know. The last time we had managed to drive out a bird tribe or clan without needing to kidnap a member from them for information was when Cicatriz and Augustus's parents led the colony before they were born. I can't remember which tribe or clan it was but it had been a relatively small bird flock."

As she said this, a flapping of membranous wings reached the group's ears. Cicatriz flew into the hollow and touched down onto the rim. His face was glowing with glee but it wasn't a beautiful glow. It was a totally evil, diabolical glow.

"Are your invaders ready for action, dear Cicatriz?" asked Iracebeth gleefully. The colony patriarch released an evil giggle.

"I certainly am, my pretty Iracebeth," he crooned, "I'm certainly lookin' forward to seein' the looks of terror on the faces of those navy blue, deep blue and yellow feathered vermin birds, and the other feathered residents, when we launch our attack on them tonight."

"When will it go ahead?" asked Voldemort.

"Around midnight when the full moon is relatively high enough in the sky," replied Cicatriz. He then flashed a glance to outside through one of the holes in the hollow.

"It's still evening at the moment and the sun's yet to set," he said, "But we have plenty of time to get prepared and plan our attack."

Veruca and Iago then pattered over to their father and smiled. Just then, more membranous wing flaps filled the ears of the group, attracting the attention of Cicatriz to the entrance of the hollow and making him turn round. Three flying foxes rushed towards the hollow entrance and then clumsily touched down at the entrance of the hollow. One of them, a reddish furred male with plenty of scars in his fur and a muscular build, stumbled as his feet made contact with the hollow rim, and he fell flat on his face, much to the group's surprise. He had been flying so fast that he had not time to slow down before landing. The other two, who had managed to land without falling over, began to puff and pant for the three had been flying so fast while Cicatriz and Iracebeth, curious looks on their faces, went over to the reddish male to help him up onto his feet.

"Seriously, Severus," grumbled Iracebeth as the bat, Severus, rose steadily to his feet with his wings around her and Cicatriz, "You need to learn some proper landing skills."

"Mom, Dad," said Iago, "What has happened to Mr Severus and the other two?"

At this, Cicatriz, Iracebeth, Veruca and the medical team tending to Voldemort took a minute to examine the three bats as they continued trying to get their breath back. The three look battered and bruised with quite a few cuts and bruises, some of which were bleeding scratches, strewn throughout their faces and bodies and Severus's right eye was surrounded by a black ring. Severus also appeared to be holding something in his feet; some sort of bags with folded leaves held in it. As he shakily reached into the bag, Severus said, "While we were spying on the Lear's macaw tribe's territory, we were suddenly set upon by a patrol of those navy blue birds, along with some macaws from the red, the Spix, the green, the blue-and-gold and the glaucous tribes and the Navyfeather and Bluewing hyacinth clans and the blue-throated macaw clan and they attacked us."

"Their patrol groups are now enormous," said one of Severus's companions, an orange-coloured female with some darker orange patches around her eyes and a white patch on her chest, but with scars strewn through her pelage, "There were about three dozen or more birds in that group, and they viciously demanded us that we return here to deliver Cicatriz and Iracebeth some messages from their tribes and clans' leaders."

"There had been eight of us in that spy group," said the other companion, "But the other five had to go to the main infirmary to be treated, the attack from those birds was so vicious."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth glanced at each other and gazed back at Severus and his two companions in surprise. Then Severus reached into the bag he had been carrying and produced the rolled up leaves, stretching out his wing to hand them over to Cicatriz.

"Anyway, these are the messages of the bird tribe and clan leaders, you two," he said.

Cicatriz and Iracebeth then took the leaves, unfurled them and began to read them. There were about nine message leaves, one from each of the nine macaw tribes and clans living on the Sanctuary de Amazon and they had been written by Blu and Jewel from the Spix macaw tribe with Eduardo and Mimi's support, Felipe and Pearl from the red macaw tribe, Waldo and Monique, with Valentino's support, from the Lear's macaw tribe, Soleado and Zoie from the blue-and-gold macaws, Alonso and Verde from the green macaws, Rudi and Valeria and Flavio from the glaucous macaw tribe and the Navyfeather hyacinth clan and Demetrio, Violeta, Reynaldo and Anita from the Bluewing hyacinth clan and blue-throated macaw clan, and they were written warnings, and very strong ones as well, telling Cicatriz and Iracebeth to end their bats' intrusions in their land and keep them on their side based on the truce, or else there would be SERIOUS trouble. As Cicatriz and Iracebeth continued reading the messages Voldemort gazed over Cicatriz's shoulder in an attempt to get a glimpse of the writing. However, from his angle and the way Cicatriz stood, he could not make out the words. These warnings from the macaw tribes and clans' leaders were powerful, and the only peaceful way of telling the bat colony's leaders to cease their intrusions without needing to resort to violence. However, despite how strong these warnings were, Cicatriz and Iracebeth's evil plans to invade the birds' territories did not budge even an inch. As Cicatriz's left eye, his only functioning eye, reached the end of the last message, that from Blu and Jewel, his mouth widened into an evil and mocking grin.

"Just what has happened inside the heads of those feathered rodents?" he guffawed, "I guess their narrow escape from the fire must have turned them inside out!"

"Yeah, definitely," chuckled Iracebeth wickedly. Then Cicatriz took all the leaves and shredded them. After the slivers of green confetti fell from his wings to the hollow floor at his feet, Cicatriz, his eyes narrowed then looked up. "I'm afraid it's too late for us to turn back now," he crooned, "Our plans have already been put into action."

Iracebeth, Iago, Veruca, Voldemort, the medical team treating him and both of Severus's companions all smiled in agreement. Severus, however, looked uncertain.

"Um, Cicatriz," he murmured, "I… um…"

"What is it, Severus?" asked Cicatriz with an annoyed frown. Severus's eyes flickered about somewhat as uncertainty continued to gnaw at him like a beaver's teeth at a log of wood.

"Well, um," he said, "Based on how that patrol of birds attacked us when handing those leaves which resulted in five of us going to the main infirmary and the way the bird tribe and clan leaders have written those letters, I've a feeling that they weren't joking…"

"Oh, stop acting like a cowardly pup and grow up, Severus," snapped Cicatriz, cutting Severus off. "Those birds are nothing but stupid vermin. They have no right to write us silly and obnoxious letters like those."

Cicatriz's eyes then turned to the window to outside and saw that the sun was slowly approaching its setting point. It was not too far away from sinking into the horizon now.

"And hopefully," he continued, "when we drive out our first targets, the Bluewing hyacinth macaws and the blue-throated macaws and their co-inhabitants, those birds will be getting a taste of the consequences of being cheeky to a colony of fearsome flying creatures such as us," Cicatriz's wicked smile widened more, "And hopefully, if any of those blue-throated and hyacinth varmints survive this night when we launch our attack to drive them out and take their land, I hope this will be a night they will NEVER forget…"

Iracebeth, Veruca and Iago all smiled, as did Voldemort and the other bats present as Cicatriz sniggered but Severus's uncertain look remained. Then the sound of flapping of another pair of membranous wings reached the ears. At the hollow's entrance, Cruella arrived, her appearance cloaked by shadow.

"Cicatriz," she called, "The invaders are ready."

Cicatriz gazed at her. "Alright," he said, "It's time I was gone I suppose. Thanks, Cruella. Tell the others I'm on my way."

Cruella nodded and dropped from the hollow. Cicatriz then walked towards the hollow entrance to leave himself but not before giving Iracebeth a kiss on the cheek and hugging his son and daughter to say goodbye to them.

"I hope you'll attack, my dear," crooned Iracebeth. "Let us know how it went, okay?"

"I will," said Cicatriz and with that, he walked towards the hollow and jumped out into the air, a bat's way of taking off for they could not launch themselves from flat ground.

"Good luck, Daddy," called Veruca and Iago together while the other bats but Severus smiled.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18- horrific nightmares**

 **Night time**

Night has fallen on the Amazon rainforest and like always, the diurnal (day-time) active animals were turning in for the night while the nocturnal ones were coming out. The jungle was awash with a silvery sea of moonlight beaming down from the full moon hovering in the cloudless sky with a massive sea of stars. The Milky Way flowed across the sky like a massive sea of glitter against a black canvas. It truly was a beautiful night and it appeared to transform the jungle into a mystical land. Fireflies danced about like tiny stars above lakes and through the canopy, further adding to the beauty of the night jungle. The majority of the macaws and other diurnal birds had gone to bed but some were staying up late, either to do night time patrols, to spend some romantic time together in the case of couples or to stargaze.

It was approaching midnight now and the sky was as clear as it had been after sundown. In the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory and home patch, the majority of the hyacinth macaws and blue-throated macaws had all gone to bed. However, some of them were awake, unable to sleep. Some of the blue-throated and hyacinth macaws were out on patrol tonight, keeping an eye on things and making sure everything was alright and that the flying fox intrusions weren't getting any worse, while those that remained back in the home patch were loitering around near their hollow entrances. Violeta was one of them. She sat perched outside her family's hollow. Her two sons, Vincente and Arlo, were asleep, Vincente with his mate and daughter. Demetrio, Violeta's mate was also in bed. However, Violeta had felt restless and had decided to come out to gaze at the clear star-studded night sky. The atmosphere hanging over the home patch of the Bluewings and the blue-throated macaws was dull and dismal with clouds of uncertainty and worry plaguing it and the main cause of it was the flying fox intrusions. The two clans and the other none-tribe and clan residents that lived on their territory had been troubled by the ever increasing frequency of the intrusions from Cicatriz's bats, as well as the violent attacks on patrol and foraging groups. Because of this, chicks and elderly had been strictly forbidden in leaving the home patch for their safety while the smaller groups of birds, such as the golden conure group, the group from which Caspian and Citrine came from, had been evacuated nearer to the home patch so that the hyacinth and blue-throated macaws could keep a close eye on them. Tonight, some hyacinth macaws had been stationed around the group of trees and small caves in which the birds stayed in, keeping watch for any flying furry creatures with membranous wings. However, what was most troubling of all was that many of the flying fox intrusions had been reported nearer and nearer the home patch, much to the timidity and fear of the residents, and this was pushing Violeta and Demetrio, and Reynaldo and Anita closer and closer to the edge.

Violeta sat perched on her branch, her eyes on the night sky. She loved nights like this for she had often gone out with Demetrio when the two had been boyfriend and girlfriend when they were younger. Clear nights with a star-strewn sky and full moon were ideal for a romantic atmosphere. However, there was something about this night that was different. Violeta seemed troubled and worried and as these pricked at her, her mind began to drift off into thought. She had hoped that the strong warnings she and Demetrio and the other leaders of the macaw tribes and clans had sent to Cicatriz and Iracebeth would make them put an end to their bats' intrusions and to scrap whatever they were planning. It was the only peaceful option the macaw tribe and clan leaders could think of in persuading the colony leaders in calling off their bats' spying and roaming of the territories of the bird tribes and clans, especially since it was pushing many of them, in particular, Demetrio, towards breaking point. However, some of the hyacinth and blue-throated macaws had protested to Demetrio, Violeta, Reynaldo and Anita that they confront Cicatriz and Iracebeth face to face over this matter, rather than send them a warning letter, but that would mean flying deep into the flying foxes' territory where every corner was teeming with bird-detesting bats that would not hesitate to kill any bird they found flying on their territory. There was no way the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans' leaders would risk their lives doing this. But this was what was so infuriating: how could Cicatriz and Iracebeth allow their bats to intrude into the birds' territories and yet ban the birds from entering theirs? Violeta could not make sense of this hypocrisy.

Furthermore, Violeta had to admit that she was easily repulsed by Cicatriz. His scarred appearance and his damaged right eye, a result of the violent fight with an amazon parrot that bat had as a teenager, as well as his attitude, was enough to make Violeta flinch and her stomach lurch. Furthermore, Cicatriz, along with Iracebeth, were especially violent, brutal and tyrannical. 'No,' Violeta thought, 'those three words aren't good enough in describing those two leaders. Those two are a pair of _savage barbarians.'_

It also seemed that Cicatriz and Iracebeth showed little care about the consequences the flying foxes faced whenever they drove out a bird tribe or clan to grab their land. It was a risky business for membranous winged creatures to go against a flock of flying creatures armed with beaks and talons, especially for their membranous wings, and badly damaged wings had not been uncommon during these processes. Furthermore, many bats had died during or shortly after the driving out of a bird tribe or clan whilst countless more has suffered horrific injuries. Violeta could not figure why Cicatriz and Iracebeth, or any of the leaders before them would have their bats attack a flock of such dangerously armed creatures, but she knew that it all boiled down to one big reason: the flying foxes saw all birds in the Amazon as vermin that deserve to be driven out and their land for the taking. It was that this the main teaching of the flying fox colony about birds that had been passed down from one generation to the next through fighting classes, where pups practiced their fighting techniques with bird dummies, and through spoken classes. This teaching was what motivated the flying foxes in driving out so many bird tribes and clans to grab their land, and also kill countless birds with their weapons and harvest their feathers for their trophies, the cluster of feathers they tied to their weapons. However, there seemed to be more than meets the eye regarding this teaching but none of the birds could figure why. It was like gazing into an opaque layer covering a swamp such that everything under it was completely obscured. Whatever that deeper reason was, Violeta hated to think of it, but she knew that so many bird tribes and clans in the past, such as the glaucous macaw tribe now living with the other hyacinth macaw clan, the Navyfeathers, had suffered terribly with nightmarish memories carved into them like ugly scars from a traumatic incident. But it seemed that the macaw tribes and clans and the other birds, such as Andromeda's clan living on the Sanctuary de Amazon were next on the flying foxes' list, which had been confirmed by one family of flying foxes who seemed to sympathise with the birds, Augustus and his family, alongside the attempted kidnappings of some of the macaws from the patrol and foraging groups. The question was, who?

Violeta had been particularly worried for everyone else in the Sanctuary de Amazon, the neighbouring tribes and clans, the smaller close-knit bird groups and Andromeda's clan of archaeobirds as well. Visitors from those groups had been vastly reduced for fear that a group of flying foxes might leap out at them and attack, and there were countless flying fox groups roaming around the entire sanctuary now, and Violeta and Demetrio had heard a report from a visiting patrol of glaucous macaws about some flying foxes roaming Andromeda's clan's territory as well. Violeta sighed as worry for the archaeobirds pricked at her. The archaeobirds were very peaceful creatures and hated war and fighting and would only become violent if they sense any serious threat. Furthermore, archaeobirds could only glide between trees, and could only fly on their bat-birds which added to their vulnerability. It was obvious that someone was going to get badly hurt over there or what's worse, a kidnapping by a group of bats to haul back to their territory for information extraction, as what had almost happened to Spock during his and some other archaeobirds' visit to the Spix macaw tribe. While Violeta's mind continued swimming through this churning river of worry, a familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Hey, Violeta, what are you still doing out here?" it asked. At this, Violeta snapped her gaze from the night sky to the speaker, which was Demetrio. The hulking hyacinth macaw loftily stepped towards her and then stood beside her.

"It's almost midnight," said Demetrio but then sympathy welled up within him when he saw the worried look on his mate's face. "Something's troubling you, isn't it?"

"Yes, Demetrio," Violeta said with a sigh. Demetrio then draped her with an enormous navy blue wing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Violeta sighed again.

"It's just this flying fox situation that is on my mind," she confessed, "It's just been on my mind… for the past few days."

Demetrio felt a spark of irritation within him when Violeta mentioned this. "Oh, I know," he muttered, "It's been going on for days now." Demetrio breathed a sigh of his own. "I just hope that Cicatriz and his mate get the message to stop their bats' intrusions and attacks on us…"

"It's pushing everyone to breaking point, especially you," said Violeta, "I know you've been struggling to control your temper for quite some time."

"I know and I'm really sorry for snapping at you and our two sons, Vincente and Arlo and daughter-in-law, Ligia and our granddaughter, Nadia at times," he said apologetically. Violeta smiled, her troubled spirits easing a bit. "You've said that once already, dear," she said and returned the one-winged hug. "I sure hope that this flying fox situation will be sorted soon."

"Yeah, I hope so, too," said Demetrio glumly. Then the two Bluewing Clan leaders stood on their perch gazing into the night sky. Not too far away in the blue-throated macaw clans' trees, some blue-throated macaws sat outside their hollows. Ceres and Cobalto were two of them, and their three sons, Wilbur, Azul and Aurelio were also awake trying to watch over their timid sisters, Lucy and Desdemona as they slept uneasily. After that disturbing encounter with Cicatriz, Iracebeth, their kids Iago and Veruca and their bodyguard the other day, these two chicks had been forbidden from leaving the home patch and had stayed mostly near their parents and older brothers' hollow. Around the family, several blue and yellow forms flew about through the shafts of moonlight illuminating the jungle but despite the beauty of the air because of the moonlight, the atmosphere was cloudy.

"I hope Enceladus and Trixie are alright," murmured Ceres as she sat next to Cobalto, "They should be coming back here soon. It's getting late."

"I actually haven't been sure of Enceladus coming over here from the blue-and-gold tribe, actually," said Cobalto, "Especially after what had happened to one of his sisters Rhea…"

"Well, I hope that Trixie's family would be kind enough to escort him back to his tribe once his stayover's finished," said Ceres with an assured smile. "After all, hyacinth macaws are often formidable birds to deal with for they are twice our size and armed with enormous talons and beaks that could break a coconut's shell. I doubt that any group of flying fox would dare to take a group of several hyacinth macaws on."

"You never know," said Cobalto uncertainly. Ceres just sighed and continued gazing into the moonlit jungle. Then Azul came out, a sad look on his face. Aurelio and Wilbur followed him.

"Desdemona and Lucy are refusing to get off, no matter what we've tried," said Azul disappointedly.

"We've told them about three stories including Azul's trip to Guyana to find the treasure to save the sanctuary with Carla and the others," said Aurelio, "And also counting dragonflies, singing a lullaby, but none of the methods are working."

"They are honestly too restless and have been since sundown," added Wilbur. The three brothers were obviously weary and were showing signs of impatience and irritability. At this, Ceres and Cobalto looked at each other and walked over to the hollow. As Cobalto entered the hollow, Azul fluttered up onto a higher branch when he saw a familiar macaw fly towards his family's tree. Ceres stood before Wilbur and Aurelio, a suspicious look on her face.

"It has to do with the flying fox incident," she said.

"Could it have been seeing the hideous faces of that colony patriarch and his family and bodyguard?" asked Wilbur. He shuddered as he remembered the faces of the said bats which were as clear in his memory as the moon was in the night sky and had been having nightmares about Cicatriz and Iracebeth once or twice since that day.

"I honestly could not stand the very sight of them," said Aurelio. "Neither did Azul and his girlfriend Fernanda…" he flashed a glance at the two macaws on the higher branch which were Azul and Fernanda talking, the latter's face laced with a troubled look. "And I can see that she's as worried as us."

"That look has been on most of the two clans and the birds of the smaller groups living with us for two days now," said Ceres, "These flying fox intrusions are obviously troubling all of us."

As she said this, Cobalto emerged from the hollow with Desdemona and Lucy in his wings. He had hoped that some fresh air would help settle their restlessness. Then Ceres's family with Azul and Fernanda above them continued talking while some of the other blue-throated macaws continued uneasily looking out of their trees as though something were about to attack. However, that horrific thought was about to become reality...

While Violeta and Demetrio continued sitting together under the star-studded and moonlit sky, talking about happy memories of when they spent some of their time together as a dating couple under nights like this, the pair was made aware of the sounds of flapping of several pairs of large wings. However those wing flaps had a sort of frightened sound to them. At this, Violeta and Demetrio looked up and saw a group of six hyacinth macaws, one of the night time patrol groups, approach them. Their eyes were ignited with immense terror and their feathers were bristled, not out of hostility, but out of fear. Then the one at the front, a female shouted, "DEMETRIO, VIOLETA!"

Seconds later, she and her five companions landed clumsily onto a branch before their leaders, shaking the branch violently due to their weight and size. Demetrio and Violeta, at this, went over to the six macaws as they began to gasp for air.

"Whoa, calm down you six," said Demetrio, "You almost broke that branch. What is it?"

"We'd better evacuate the two clans and the other birds outa here NOW," said one of the other macaws, a male, the moment he had got his breath back enough to speak, "We were patrolling when we saw a massive group of…"

But the macaw had no time to finish the sentence when suddenly, the quiet air of the night was shattered by the most terrifying, bloodcurdling sound Demetrio, Violeta and the macaws had ever heard in their lives. But these were no bird screeches, but the screeches of a group of a completely different flying creature. It sent terror flaring up within the macaws like an explosion. Violeta then sprang into action, bolting for the hollow like a frightened capybara attempting to flee a jaguar.

"I'LL GET ARLO, VINCENTE, LIGIA AND NADIA!" she screeched as she rushed for the hollow, a violet-tinted navy blue blur. While she did that, Demetrio commanded the patrol group to help him evacuate the two clans and everyone else and within moments, the seven macaws were aloft. As he flew about the Bluewing Clan's home trees, Demetrio began to use his booming voice to bark orders to his clan members and also to the blue-throated macaws, to evacuate.

Demetrio's voice carried through the night air like a shockwave, reaching the ears of the blue-throated macaws. Those asleep were jolted awake while the others that were already awake snapped their heads to the navy blue form flying around, screeching at the top of his lungs. At their hollow, Cobalto, Ceres, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio and Fernanda, together with the other blue-throated macaws, turned their eyes to Demetrio as he continued flying around screeching for everyone to abandon their homes and take their eggs and chicks unable to fly with them, as well as navy blue comets screaming in terror emerging from the trees of the Bluewing Clan's home area and filling the air. However, through the cloud of screeching navy blue comets in the background, the blue-throated macaws saw something else; a thick black cloud. At this, many of the blue-throated macaws, among them Ceres and her family, froze in horror and disbelief. Cobalto stood with Desdemona and Lucy who were awake in his wings, Wilbur and Aurelio flanking him while Ceres stood by herself and Azul and Fernanda on the branch above. Their eyes were wide and beaks agape as they saw the thick black cloud approach the Bluewing Clan's home trees at a terrifying rate. It was like a thick black tsunami. However, it wasn't made of water, but of fur, membranous wings, and weapons. As Demetrio continued barking orders for his clan to evacuate, his eyes turned and saw the incoming tsunami of black creatures rush into his clan's trees like floodwater. At this, terror violently flared within him. The other hyacinth macaws that also saw the black cloud released screams of immense terror and within seconds, as Violeta was hastily leaving with Vincente, Arlo, Ligia (Vincente's mate) and Nadia (the daughter of Vincente and Ligia), the black cloud of flying foxes were upon the clan and a savage fight broke out, resulting in the air filling with agonised hyacinth macaw screeches of agony and flying fox war cries.

The flying foxes looked absolutely terrifying in the shafts of moonlight and basically looked like black cloaks with gleaming lights as the moonlight lit up their eyes in the dark. The bats had covered their entire bodies from head to toe with some sort of pitch-black fruit paint streaked with vivid red on their faces, bodies and wings, the red on their wings intended to paint in their wing fingers. This body décor was not at all like the beautiful and colourful body décor the bird tribes and clans used for their theme dances, such as the yellow pollen and red fruit paint the Spix macaws used for dancing to 'Beautiful Creatures' for example. This frightening body décor was designed to make the flying foxes look more terrifying to their feathered opponents, as well as better conceal them in the shadows of the night. The bats therefore looked like shadowy ghosts with red markings. The moment the flying foxes were upon the hyacinth macaws, the weapons they had brought with them, sharp-sticks, sticks with stones tied to one end like a club, porcupine spine ball-ending sticks, etc. were then brutally put into action in bludgeoning and stabbing their intended victims.

The Bluewing Clan then found themselves at the mercy of these weapons and though they were armed with powerful beaks and talons, as well as their size, they were no match for this enormous cloud of savage bats and soon, bodies and blood began to fall from the battle cloud. The blue-throated macaw clan watched the carnage in utter horror, but then an overwhelming urge to flee for their lives took hold, especially as some of the flying foxes emerged from the cloud of brawling bats and hyacinth macaws and charged straight for them, their weapons ready and poised to attack. Now it was the blue-throated macaw clan's turn to scream in terror and soon, blue and yellow streaks filled the air as blue-throated macaws fled for their lives. Cobalto snapped a glance at Azul and Fernanda on the higher branch, Fernanda having abandoned her perch to rescue her family when Ceres shouted to him to get Desdemona and Lucy, who were screaming, out of here.

"AZUL!" screeched Cobalto as he hastily wrapped his talons around his daughters.

"DAAAAD!" screeched Azul as the swarm of bats rushed towards the blue-throated macaws. Then Cobalto leaped off the branch with Desdemona and Lucy firmly in his talons. Wilbur and Aurelio followed closely behind. Azul then dived off the branch and plummeted through the canopy like a falcon as the tsunami of bats swallowed up the tree, one of the black and red war paint-donning flying foxes just missing impaling him with a sharp-stick. Only Ceres remained, but she was too rooted to the spot by fear of the incoming bats to move. Fearfully, she braced herself and covered her head with her wings as Demetrio's voice bellowed, "PROTECT THE BLUE-THROATED MACAWS!"…

 **Meanwhile**

Enceladus and Trixie were flying back to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' home patch, yawning tiredly.

"Boy, it sure has been a fantastic time we have had together, isn't it?" Trixie said with a smile to her blue-and-gold macaw boyfriend.

"It sure is," said Enceladus. His eyes then turned to the star-studded sky and full moon, "Especially on a night like this. I remember Mom and Dad telling me that they used to go out on nights like these."

Trixie breathed a loving sigh as she and Enceladus continued flying back to the former's clan's home patch. However, they were unaware of the horror that lay before them. As the two approached the outskirts of the Bluewing and Blue-throated macaw clans' home patch, the sound of screeches and fighting filled their ears. At this, the blue-and-gold/hyacinth couple stopped into a hover.

"What's that sound?" asked Enceladus confused.

"Sounds like a war going on," said Trixie.

"On an area that is part of a protected sanctuary in which every bird tribe, clan and group has made peace?" asked Enceladus sceptically. Trixie, at this, slowly turned her head in the direction of the terrifying sounds but then a dreadful feeling came over her. Enceladus also felt that same feeling.

"THE BLUEWINGS AND THE BLUE-THROATED MACAWS!" screeched the two together and with that, they bolted and accelerated towards the home patch of the said clans, their wings beating furiously.

Then within seconds, Enceladus and Trixie arrived at the Bluewings and blue-throated macaws' home patch, Trixie first for she was larger and had larger wings and was able to fly faster than Enceladus who was smaller. However, the moment the couple's eyes landed on what was producing the terrifying sounds, freezing icy water splashed over their hearts.

Amongst the trees of the Bluewing Clan, a bloody battle was taking place. A cloud made of navy blue feathers and something else was violently thrashing in the moonlight air while more navy blue comets were fleeing the trees but when Trixie saw the something else in the cloud, her heart plunged into ice. Black membranous wings and wooden items, as well as black shadowy figures streaked with red were clearly visible from the cloud. Further in the background, blue and yellow comets, which Enceladus had deduced was the blue-throated macaw clan, were shooting off into the darkness, more black figures chasing after them. Trixie, at first, continued to hover in utter horror but then the thought of her family flashed in her mind. She was about to bolt when an aqua blue and yellow form flew into her way.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" bellowed Trixie in disbelief.

"Don't go into there," shouted Enceladus in reply, "You'll be killed!"

Then a thought came to him. At this, a sharp gasp was drawn through his beak.

"THE GOLDEN CONURES AND THE OTHER RESIDENTS!" he screeched, "WE NEED TO RESCUE THE GOLDEN CONURES!"

Trixie, at this, was about to bolt for the fighting cloud but Enceladus blocked her.

"No, you'll get to the golden conures while I see to saving your family," he said.

"WHAT!?" retorted Trixie, "But my Mom, Dad, brothers…"

"Look, I'll try and find and get them out while you see to the conures and other residents," said Enceladus, "You know where they are and besides that, you'll be able to reach them faster than I would since you're larger than me."

Trixie, at first, paused. Neither of the male blue-and-gold nor the female hyacinth macaw wanted to leave each other and endanger themselves but they knew that this was important. Then Trixie, as soon as she had made her decision, clasped her talons onto Enceladus's head and pulled him close to her face, locking his beak in a very passionate kiss, much to his surprise. As the two broke the kiss, Trixie said, "Right, I'll go and find the conures while you help with the evacuation of my clan but be CAREFUL! Those bats in there could be armed with dangerous weapons."

Enceladus nodded and with that, the couple broke apart. Enceladus rocketed towards the carnage while Trixie headed off in the direction of the golden conures and the other avian residents' temporary lodging site.

Enceladus flapped his wings furiously as he entered the Bluewing Clan's territory. As he did so, he felt his blood's temperature plummet as he passed by the carnage. Flying foxes, black and red war paint covering their entire bodies and their eyes glowing menacingly in the moonlight continued chasing and slaughtering hyacinth macaws with their weapons while screams of terror filled his ears while in the trees, more flying foxes forced their way into hollows and without hesitation slaughtered those that lay within, regardless of whether they were chicks, elderly or fit young macaws. However, Enceladus had no time in watching the carnage in horror. He had to focus on rescuing Trixie's family. Pulling his gaze from the massacre that went on, Enceladus began to call out for Trixie's family: her mother named Lizzie, her father named Orlan and her two brothers, Matheus, who was a chick, and Buddy, who was Trixie's clutch-mate and the younger of the two. Enceladus shouted their names through the cacophony of screams and screeches, being careful not to get spotted by any of the attacking flying foxes. The screams were ear-piercing and frightening, and it made Enceladus's insides quiver but he knew he had to help get Trixie's family out of this massacre. As he weaved in and out of the trees' branches, searching for Trixie's family's tree, he bumped into something feathery. At first, Enceladus was alarmed and released a shriek but when he saw that it was only a hyacinth macaw, he breathed a quick sigh of relief. However, the hyacinth macaw flashed a look of alarm when he saw who was present.

"Enceladus!?" he blurted out, "What are you doing her!? Get to safety before any of those bats kill you!"

"Where is Trixie's family?" asked Enceladus. Suddenly, he heard screaming. At this, his gaze snapped to the owner of the screams but when he saw who they were, his heart lurched violently. Immediately, Enceladus darted off while the hyacinth macaw fled. The screams had come from Orlan and Lizzy, the parents of Trixie and also Trixie's brother Buddy who carried baby Matheus. They were helplessly trying to escape a pack of five savage flying foxes, all with glowing eyes flooded with untold murderous desire and armed with weapons that kept lashing and jabbing mercilessly at their targets, trying to inflict a fatal injury on them. Orlan then fluttered to the front of his mate and two sons as one of the sharp-sticks lurched towards them.

"Get outa here, Lizzie and take Buddy and Matheus to safety NOW!" Orlan only had chance to say before the sharp-stick hit home. Then some drops of his blood flew into the air, accompanied by a scream of agonising pain, as well as the frightened screams of his mate and older son. Orlan's body then fell through the canopy towards the forest floor, his killer, its sharp-stick streaked with red, swooping down after him. Lizzie, at this, tackled Buddy in the side to get him moving and off they set, desperate to escape the bats. However, their pursuers gave chase, determined to kill them. As Lizzie and Buddy with the frightened Matheus in his talons flew along they were met by an aqua blue and yellow macaw. Much to their shock, Enceladus lashed at the four flying foxes and began to savagely claw them with his talons, an enraged screech erupting from his beak. The flying foxes tried fighting back but Enceladus's claws made their mark first. Lizzie, Buddy and Matheus looked on in horror as Enceladus then lashed his beak at one of the flying fox's wings and clamped onto it as hard as he could. The flying fox screeched in agony as a sickening crack was heard As Enceladus's beak broke its wing. Then suddenly, bat claws appeared and slashed Enceladus down the back, making him screech in pain and retaliate with a savage slash of his talons.

Enceladus had never fought this violently in his life before but during one visit to Rio with his mother Orquidea, father Saturn and six siblings Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Rhea, Veggie had taught him and his six siblings and also the other chicks including Carla, Bia and Tiago some cat-based self-defence techniques and how to use their talons in a similar way a cat would use its claws in defence. However, Veggie had warned them only to use these techniques if they were in serious, life-threatening danger and not to use the skills in unnecessary situations. This was exactly how Enceladus applied his talons in warding off the flying foxes to save Lizzie, Buddy and Matheus; he literally lashed his talons like a cat would slash its claws at its attackers. Then after a few more frightening seconds, Enceladus managed to drive away the last of the flying foxes who fled. However, sharp pain began emanating from his back. Enceladus, at this, reached with a wing to where he had been scratched and when his wing came away, he was alarmed to see the yellow streaked with red. He then turned his attention to Lizzie, Matheus and Buddy who were utterly dumbfounded. However, Enceladus did not have time for delay. Without hesitation and ignoring the pain of his scratched back, he began leading Lizzie and her sons to safety. However, when he saw that Orlan was missing, his heart sank.

"Where's Trixie?" asked Lizzie.

"I've sent her to rescue the golden conures," replied Enceladus, "But we've got no time to discuss this. Let's just get outa here."

Suddenly, Matheus uttered an ear-piercing scream. At this, the other three turned and when they saw what Matheus saw, terror flared within them. An arrow of flying foxes, all bodies completely covered with black war paint streaked with red and armed with weapons such as sharp-sticks, were diving down towards them. It was obvious that three of the four bats that Enceladus had attacked had sought help. Alarmed, the blue-and-gold macaw and the two hyacinth macaws dashed off into the trees, the group of bats in pursuit.

 **Meanwhile**

Trixie flew as fast as she could through the trees, desperate to reach the golden conures and the other residents that lived on the blue-throated macaw and Bluewings' territory. The horrifying noise coming from the battle scene sent her entire body and nervous system into overdrive and she continued charging on through the trees. When at last the trees in which the smaller non-tribe or clan birds stayed came into view, Trixie's heart sank and she immediately slowed to a hover. Right before her eyes, more black ghostlike creatures were viciously attacking a variety of colourful forms while colourful comets, most of them yellow with some streaks of lime green, filled the air, fleeing the marauding bats and into the trees. Like in the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans' home patch, terrified bird screams and flying fox war cries flooded the air as birds fled for their lives from the bats. At this, Trixie accelerated towards the comets and their pursuers. On the way, she reached out toward a large, fallen branch on the forest floor and whisked it off the ground. Then Trixie rocketed towards the pursuers of the golden conures and other birds, her heterochromia eyes igniting into green and blue flames of wrath on the approach and her talons grasping the branch rising to its position, an enraged screech exploding from her mouth. Then before any of the flying foxes could act, the navy blue rocket with the branch charged right past them, smashing the branch's arms across the faces of some of them. When the golden conures and the other birds with them, such as a family of toucans, among them Citrine and Caspian, heard the sound of a brutal whack of wood against some flying fox faces, they turned round and to their surprise, saw Trixie knock some flying foxes out of the air before swerving around and striking them again. Bats flew everywhere as the branch hit home. Then after this, Trixie dropped the branch and rushed over to the evacuating conures.

"Trixie!?" Caspian blurted out in shock.

"No time to explain," Trixie replied as she flew to the front, "Let's get you lot outa here NOW!"

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream reached the group's ears. At this, all eyes turned to the source of the sound and to their horror, especially Trixie's, a pair of orange-winged amazons standing in front of the mouth of a hollow log was screaming as three massive bats, all armed with mace-like weapons with porcupine spines jutting from cement-like mud on one end, tried forcing their way towards them, waving their mace-like weapons. The pair of birds were trying to protect something hiding in the log from the bats. Behind the pair, Trixie saw some flashes of colour and when she saw what they were, horror tore through her. The coloured forms were chicks, all too young to fly.

"A family of orange-winged amazons have taken refuge in that log," she called, "I need to rescue them."

And with that, against Caspian and Citrine's protests, the hyacinth macaw bravely swooped down upon the bats and released an enraged squawk. The three bats, at this, stopped their assault on the orange-winged amazon parents who had about seven chicks in the log and turned their murderous gaze up in time to see a navy blue comet swoop down on them, her talons outstretched. Then flying fox blood flew through the air and three forms were bowled over as Trixie's talons made contact. Seeing that their attackers were down, the orange-winged amazon parents seized their seven chicks in the log and prepared to take off, Trixie returning to help carry them away. After this, Trixie returned to the other birds in the air with the orange-winged amazon family of nine and began to lead the birds away as fast as she could.

 **Meanwhile**

Enceladus flew with Lizzie and Buddy, who carried baby Matheus, through the moonlit trees. They were now away from the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' home patch, and the carnage still going on, and were making their escape. However, they were still being chased by some of the bats who were determined to slaughter them. Enceladus puffed and panted, remembering what Venus had been through after the fire.

"Didn't Cicatriz listen to the warnings our leaders gave him at all?" he asked Lizzie.

"Well, based on that savage attack, obviously not," snapped Lizzie as she tackled into Buddy's side to help him dodge an outstretched arm of wood. "The others' reaction is gonna be indescribable when they have heard what have happened tonight."

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling flying fox screech sounded behind them. At this, the three macaws snapped their gazes to their pursuers and to their horror; they saw one of the flying foxes swoop down in an attack dive on them, its sharp-stick point aiming its victim of choice: Enceladus. There was no way the blue-and-gold macaw could dodge this. When Lizzie saw this, alarm tore through her.

"Enceladus, MOOOVE!" she bellowed and with that, she tackled Enceladus and knocked him out of the way, substituting him for herself. As Enceladus tumbled violently through the air only for Buddy to catch him, an ear-piercing scream erupted behind them. At this, the pair turned and to their horror, they saw that Lizzie had been impaled by the flying foxes' sharp-stick, the flying fox's gleaming eyes gloating murderously. The two were on the forest floor.

"MOOOOM!" cried Buddy, tears forming in his eyes.

"LIZZIE!" screeched Enceladus but Lizzie flashed them a pleading glance. 'Get outa here, now!' it said. Enceladus and Buddy, at this, flashed each other a heartbroken glance before finally obeying. Trixie's brother, with baby Matheus in his talons, flew off into the trees with Trixie's blue-and-gold boyfriend in tow as the flying foxes gathered around Lizzie's now-lifeless body. The flying fox that had made the kill then tore one of Lizzie's wing flight feathers and raised it into the air, cackling evilly, the others applauding. Ahead, Enceladus and Buddy felt shivers spark down their spines. Frightened, they accelerated on.

 **Meanwhile**

Ceres struggled on the forest floor, her face twisted in immense agony and a trickle of blood running down it. Excruciating pain was screaming from her left wing and her chest and side felt like it was on fire, her right wing clutching an injury on them, a red liquid pointing a series of streaks down the rich blue contour feathers. Through the canopy and trees, she could hear the sounds of screeching in the distance. It sounded triumphant but it obviously wasn't the cry of a flock of macaws. Ceres flashed a pain-filled and heartbroken glance back in the direction of the screeches and continued struggling on, her agonised gaze flashing this way and that in desperation, looking for any flash of colour or any sign of Cobalto, Aurelio or Wilbur or any of the other macaws.

Not too far away, Azul and Fernanda, who had also managed to escape the flying fox wave, struggled through the foliage of the forest floor too. Both of Azul's wings were fine and he was able to fly but his right talon was badly injured, thus he was limping. Furthermore, his heart had been shattered and the overwhelming shock of the flying foxes' siege on his clan and the Bluewings' home had been too much for him. Azul felt extremely sick and dizzy and his world spun round him as though he had been on a wild ride. Fernanda, while she had a few cuts and bruises, the worst being a bleeding scratch above her left eye, had also suffered a deep wound. She had been weeping a river of tears and her eyes and facial feathers had been stained as a result, and her eyes continued to weep even now. She had lost her entire family who had been unable to escape in time and had been mercilessly slaughtered by the wicked bats, and Azul was wondering where Cobalto, Ceres, Aurelio, Wilbur, Desdemona and Lucy were. The thought of them lying dead at the feet of those murderous flying foxes made his heart scream in agony and tears to fall from his eyes. Furthermore, the triumphant flying fox cry through the trees only added to the internal agony Fernanda and Azul felt within their hearts. They knew it was all over. The flying foxes had taken over their home while its former occupants that have survived were left to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives. They had indeed lost an awful lot in one night; their clan, their home, their friends, their families. Heartbroken, the pair continued to trudge through the foliage of the forest floor, Azul limping and Fernanda helping him along.

As the pair hobbled slowly along, Azul saw a flash of colour out the corner of his eye. Turning to the flash, he saw a rich blue and yellow form struggle along. At this, immediate recognition took hold inside him and a streak of joy penetrated the heavy burden of heartbreak.

"MOM!" he cried. Fernanda also saw Ceres and gasped despite her river of tears. Ceres, who continued struggling with her broken wing and injured side and chest as well as the agony, heart her son's voice. At this, she turned and when her eyes landed on Azul and Fernanda as they hurried over to her, she drew in a shocked and relieved gasp. Then as soon as the three blue-throated macaws met, Ceres wrapped her other wing around Azul and Fernanda and the trio began to sob their eyes out.

"It's okay, you two," whispered Ceres, tears running down her face. Azul and Fernanda continued sobbing. They remained there for a minute or two before continuing their struggle through the foliage. A while later the three macaws were found by a group of night-time ecologists who had come to the Sanctuary de Amazon to study the night-time ecosystem. When they saw that Ceres had been badly injured with a broken wing, as well as Azul and Fernanda's injuries, the group of kind humans immediately picked them up and took them to the animal hospital for treatment.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19- Eustace's group overhear a key change in the flying foxes' kidnapping plans**

 **Morning**

Dawn came upon the Sanctuary de Amazon and the diurnal animals were waking up. As the sun rose into the sky from beneath the eastern horizon to greet the day, in a certain patch of the jungle, Orion and Velocity the falcons and their cockatoo friends Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Serena, Clemont and their toucan friend Diantha were having breakfast in their hiding place with the other birds. Some of them had been out on a foraging trip and had hoarded more fruit into the cave while Velocity and Orion went out hunting for an animal, successfully finding and killing a tapir and dragging it back to near the mouth of the cave to feed on its meat. The group had had rather a rough night last night but had managed to get some sleep, and last night had been the fifth one since Eustace's group's arrival in the Amazon and their first encounter with some of the bats. Over the past five days, Eustace and company had been foraging for fruit, caring for the birds and Orion had had his scratch treated by some of the birds skilled in medical training. They had managed to prevent his scratches from getting infect and now they were in the process of healing. Also over the time period, Eustace and company had been wracked with worry for their jungle friends and had hoped they were alright. They had got around three or four more glimpses of more of those giant flying mammals with scars slashing through their pelages flying about the jungle and luckily, the group had stayed out of sight. And against Blu's advice and commands that they return to Rio for their safety, the eight had decided to stay to find out what was going on but during the past five days, they had had no luck at all. Furthermore, with the phone that Orion used last destroyed during his narrow escape from a group of bats who had attacked him, Eustace's group had no chance of contacting Blu and company now and the group was seriously worried about them and the other friends. However, an opportunity to truly help which would eventually lead to Eustace and company's major role in the flying fox threat in the coming days, was about to arise.

While the group was having their breakfast, Orion and Velocity feasting on their tapir outside, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any flashes of drab coloured fur and membranous wings in the trees, Eustace, Milo and Rosa were chatting with some of the birds, a family of emerald toucanets inside the cave while Clemont, Serena and Diantha sorted through the gathered fruit. The birds in hiding continued caring for each other and their chicks. They had built makeshift nests using moss and other material also gathered during the foraging trips for they were too frightened to leave the cave for fear of running into a group of armed flying foxes, and during one trip to some guava bushes, on which Eustace and Clemont went, they had got a glimpse of a group of some bats armed with deadly weapons, one or two of them with a ball of porcupine spines attached to one end of the stick via sturdy cement-like mud or clay. Those weapons reminded Eustace and Clemont of a lethal medieval weapon known as a mace they had once seen in a book of medieval England history at Linda's bookstore back in Rio during Sunset and Travis's lesson on the history of England, in which Eustace, Milo and Rosa's parents had lived. Seeing those weapons, along with spear-like sticks and dangerous clubs (sticks with rocks tied to one end with very strong material like coconut fibres), alongside the murderous looks in the faces of their owners had sent shivers down the group's spines. As a result, the foraging trip had to be called off due to safety reasons, though the group had managed to pick some guavas and carry them off in bags constructed with sturdy vines and twigs, as well as the fanny packs Eustace and Clemont had brought along with them. Since then, Eustace and Clemont had become even more confused as to why those bats carried weapons but one of the amazon parrots had told him that the flying foxes used those to kill their feathered victims. After this, the killer or killers would then harvest a flight feather from their dead victim and attach it to their weapons as a trophy, which explained the flashes of colour tied to the bats' weapons Clemont and Eustace had also glimpsed. However, everything else had been affected by the flying foxes' constant intrusions and trespassing as well.

"The Amazon Pit of Games League was supposed to be continuing as well," said the male toucanet, "But I believe that would have been cancelled due to the issue of those flying foxes roaming about."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised," said Eustace, though inside he was surprised, "Especially after how many groups of bats armed with those horrible weapons we had seen during our foraging trips."

"When one of your amazon parrot friends explained to us why those flying foxes had weapons," said Milo, "I had a vision of Roberto and his family facing a group of armed flying foxes that attacked and slaughtered most of them with Roberto barely escaping."

"Venus had had a close brush with death with those bats as well," said Rosa, "It was right after the fire had died down."

"They're absolutely savage, honestly," said the female toucanet, the male's mate, disgustedly, her gaze flashing at the chicks in the makeshift nest, "Honestly it seems that killing as many birds as possible and harvesting their feathers as trophies is the only goal they seem to have."

"It is also rumoured that the colony patriarch's mate had once taken on a female harpy eagle singlehandedly and all by herself as well," said the male toucanet. Eustace, Milo and Rosa's beaks dropped open in shock and Milo shuddered as he remembered taking on one such dangerous bird in Guyana but that was with a group of macaws and Velocity who went with him and not by himself. Obviously a cockatoo or even a hyacinth macaw or enormous fox-faced bat measuring twice the height of Eustace and his two siblings would be instantly killed by a single slash of those fishhook-like talons of those birds if they ever attempted to take on one alone. Because of this, most birds believed it to be an exaggeration and the flying foxes' way of showing them how powerful and skilful they were at fighting any bird when in fact, there were some bird species that not even a flying fox would dare attempt to combat. However, it was possible but extremely marginal that a flying fox has taken on a harpy eagle singlehandedly. As the group talked, Diantha, Serena and Clemont walked in.

"There's enough fruit to last us for a couple of days," said Clemont, his eyes travelling over the colourful sea of various birds as they ate. Parents fed their chicks in makeshift nest constructed from moss, twigs and soil.

"At least that lot will be satisfied," said Serena. Her worried gaze then moved to Velocity and Orion as they continued feeding on the tapir carcass. "As for those two since they only eat meat," she said, "I'm worried for their safety since they have to go out to hunt for an animal every day."

"Those two are gonna be so vulnerable if any of those bats catch them," said Diantha and she shuddered as she remembered Orion's close brush with death at the wings of a group of them during the first day, especially after seeing him covered in a few cuts and bruises, a patch on his back where feathers had been torn out and the scratch across his chest, which was now in the process of healing. However, the situation had become more dangerous and the group knew why.

"With all these armed bats roaming around the trees and everywhere, absolutely," said the male toucanet in agreement to Diantha's statement about the two peregrines' vulnerability.

"That trip to Guyana and Jurassic Jungle to find the treasure to save the sanctuary was risky enough as it is with all those predatory animals that are supposed to be extinct prowling around the land and air," said Milo, "But foraging in a bird-hating bat-infested jungle where there's a possibility of a group of flying foxes armed with dangerous weapons lurking around every corner? That seems to be a different matter entirely."

As he said this, a pattering of two pairs of falcon talons alerted them. At this, Milo, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha turned their gazes to Velocity and Orion as they crept into the tunnel leading to the cave. The pair wore wary expressions on their faces.

"What is it?" asked Milo. Velocity's wing shot up in a 'be quiet' gesture, her gaze fixed on the mouth of the cave partially closed off by the rock. Wondering what was making Velocity and Orion so alarmed, Milo, Eustace and Rosa walked over to them while the emerald toucanet family stayed with Diantha, Clemont and Serena. The other birds also kept quiet as the three half sulfur-crested, half-Major Mitchell's cockatoos and two peregrine falcons began to cautiously approach the entrance, their ears cocked to pick up the sounds of what or whoever was outside. Orion, who was the nearest, also began to watch through the slit between the rim of the left side of the tunnel's mouth and rock as a group of large furry creatures with dog-like faces, membranous wings and scars crisscrossing their fur as well as some sort of weapons held in their wings walk in and begin to talk. These creatures were what prompted Orion and Velocity to enter the cave and hide, and there were three of them. All three were adults and were almost twice the height of Orion and Velocity with wingspans probably two or three times as wide as the falcons when fully opened. One was a brown male while the second was a reddish male with a white patch on his chest and the other, a brown female with a large white patch covering most of her chest and belly.

"I can't believe the attack on the Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans went very well last night," said one of the three bats, the female, in a delightful voice, "You should have seen the faces of those bundles of navy blue, rich blue and yellow feathers when the invaders drove them and the other avian residents out. They were absolutely petrified."

She then emitted a chuckle as one of the males, the reddish one, spoke. "Yeah, the process of taking over the wretched macaws' territories has finally begun," he said in a voice tinted with excitement, "At least we have captured the first area we are after."

When these words reached Eustace's group's ears, they all drew in quiet but horrified gasps.

"Oh, no," murmured Eustace quietly.

"Now the next thing we gotta do is drive out the other bird tribes, clans and groups including those lizard-like birds with the wing-like legs but we're are not gonna do that until we have kidnapped at least two members from each of them and have interrogated them in our territory about their tribes or clans and how big they are, their territories and habitats and most importantly, why their land hasn't seen any deforestation for so long," muttered the female, "But that is the riskiest part especially since those pesky feathered vermin have tripled their patrol and foraging group sizes."

Orion, Velocity, Eustace, Milo and Rosa continued to listen. "However," said the female in a quite a different tone of voice, a more sinister one, "Ratigan has found a way we could use to get around this obstacle: he had recently discovered a species of plant that has knockout properties when injected into a victim…"

As she was about to explain what this knockout property-bearing plant was and how it worked on the victim, the third bat, the brown male, walked over to the location of the cave's entrance.

"Hey, you two, sorry to cut you off, but look over there," he said. At this, his two companions followed him as he approached the cave's tunnel's mouth and its rock. Orion ushered his sister and three cockatoo friends back from the rock as the three bats came in dangerously close proximity to the entrance. However, the bat's eyes were on something lying on the ground. Diantha then attempted to creep towards Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Velocity and Orion but Orion stopped her with a 'stop' gesture.

"That's interesting," said the male brown bat as he examined what he had found, "A few slate grey feathers and a half-eaten tapir carcass," he then picked up a slate grey flight feather and examined it as the other two bats walked in. "Maybe some harpy eagles have been hunting and feeding here?" The reddish male, however, shook his head while the brown female rolled her eyes.

"Those feathers and the beak and claw marks on the tapir carcass definitely aren't the doing of a harpy eagle," the reddish male said, "One, harpy eagles normally eat their prey in the treetops and two, those beak and claw marks and feathers are too small to be from a harpy eagle anyway."

When Orion and Velocity heard this, they began to carefully examine the feathers held by the brown male bat before turning their attention to their own wing flight feathers, holding them up to the sliver of light entering the slit of the uncovered part of the cave's mouth. They then realised, to their alarm that the feathers the brown male bat held were the exact same feathers from either their wings or tails.

"Maybe these feathers are from a smaller species of eagle or perhaps a falcon?" asked the brown male as he examined the feathers closely, sending shivers down Orion and Velocity's spines, especially at the word 'falcon': their bird type. Then the brown female changed the subject, easing the tension tightening inside Orion and Velocity much to their relief.

"Look, we don't have time for insignificant guessing games like whose feathers are those, guys," she growled in rebuke, "We have more important things to focus on: searching for a patrol group of macaws or those four-winged lizard-like birds…"

"Archaeobirds," whispered Milo quietly. What other bird species had a prehensile tail and legs like a second pair of wings like Andromeda and Eragon's clan?

"…and shooting a porcupine spine dipped with the paste made using the knockout plant Ratigan had discovered to dope our feathered victims and knock them out so that we could take them back to our territory without them fighting back," said the female. At this, five horrified gasps entered the two falcons and three cockatoos' beaks.

"And after we had interrogated those victims and have extracted enough information about the bird tribes and clans and small groups living on the land we are targeting, we will be planning on driving out the next bird tribe," continued the female, "Either it will be the Lear's macaws, the blue-and-gold macaws or the green macaws since they're nearest to our territory boundary, and then the Spix and red macaws, then finally, the glaucous macaws, the Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and those four-winged birds with the lizard-like tails…"

"And after that, the whole land that those feathered varmints live on will be ours to dwell and thrive in," said the brown male excitedly.

"Not to mention it being the future land of our future pups," said the reddish male.

"That's right," said the female in a sinisterly gleeful voice tone and with that, the three bats moved away, carrying their weapons with them.

"Cicatriz and Iracebeth certainly have concocted an excellent plan," said the female, her voice's volume dropping as the three bats moved further away from the cave's entrance. "Cicatriz and Augustus's parents would have been so proud of them if they were still alive, especially since all the Amazonian birds are…"

The rest of the sentence became too quiet to be picked up by Orion and the other four.

"Did any of you hear the last part?" asked Eustace.

"That bat either said that all the Amazonian birds are to be driven out or are responsible for something," said Velocity, "But she was too far away for us to make out clearly."

"The Amazonian birds, responsible for something?" asked Rosa confused, "Whatever for?"

"Maybe something horrible and major has happened between the flying fox colony and a group of birds, leading to the bitter enmity between them?" asked Milo.

"Well that's not important," said Orion in a serious voice, "We have to tell the Spix macaws and everyone else what has happened to one of the hyacinth macaw clans and the blue-throated macaws and warn them what those bats are planning to do and how they are going to do it."

At this, the others shot him a 'What!?' glare.

"Are you meaning to go out into the jungle where there could be groups of armed flying foxes lurking in every shadow?" asked Velocity in disapproval, "I don't think so."

"Especially after your narrow escape with a group of them while you were contacting Blu," added Clemont. He shuddered at the memories of the scene and Orion's delayed turning up that filled him and Rosa with dread. Orion gazed at Clemont, Serena, Rosa, Eustace, Milo and Velocity who gazed back at him with disapproving frowns. While they did that, one of the green-billed toucans began to talk to Diantha about something. He indicated to a patch of wet mud near the wall of the cave. As he did that, an idea entered Diantha's head.

"We can't afford to end up in danger with those bats again, Orion," said Velocity, "Especially now that most of them are armed, if they catch us, our very lives could be in danger."

"Most of those bats are highly skilled in close combat with their weapons," said one of the Jandaya parakeets nearby, "You city birds might not stand a chance against a group of them if you end up running into one."

"Not to mention your brightly coloured plumage will make you easily visible against a green background," said a sun parakeet.

"That's right;" said Serena in agreement, "A pair of slate grey falcons with ivory undersides and five cockatoos with bright white or pale pink plumage and brightly coloured crests would be easily seen in a drab environment like this. Seriously, Orion we cannot take on a bunch of armed flying mammals that have a lifetime's experience in the jungle."

Orion was about to reply when suddenly, Rosa's voice cried out, "Diantha! What on earth…"

At this, the male peregrine falcon and the others all turned their eyes and to their surprise, they saw a brown toucan-like figure walk towards them.

"Look, guys," said the figure in a familiar female voice, "Do I look more obscure against the drab background in this muddy covering?"

Orion, Velocity, Clemont, Serena, Eustace, Milo and Rosa, at this, looked at their toucan friend up and down and saw that her body was almost invisible against the brown-grey background of the cave. Without the suit of mud, Diantha's rich black plumage, pale reddish-white underside and brightly coloured beak made her stand out like a brightly coloured mushroom against a sea of black soil or green grass. "Why don't we cover ourselves with mud?" continued Diantha, "We'll be less noticeable by those bats should we run into any of them when we fly out to tell the bird tribes, clans and small groups what we have heard."

"I say, that is an excellent idea," said Clemont with a smile. Diantha nodded to the green-billed toucan who had suggested the idea. "It was thanks to her over there," she said, "She told me how most of the birds on the Sanctuary de Amazon used mud to camouflage themselves and cover their brightly coloured plumage to slip past enemies and predators unnoticed."

"Oh, yeah, they do," said the sun parakeet.

"We never thought of that," said the Jandayan parakeet. Then Eustace, a reluctant but determined frown on his face, walked over to the mud suit-clad Diantha.

"So, how did you coat yourself in mud?" he asked. Diantha, in reply, pointed to a muddy puddle by the cave wall. Eustace then walked over to the mud puddle, Clemont, Serena, Rosa and Milo following. Velocity also went along reluctantly while Orion remained where he was.

"You know something," the female falcon muttered to Diantha, "Our parents aren't gonna appreciate us getting dirty like this but if a job demands it, then I suppose we must."

Diantha just smiled as Velocity followed the five cockatoos to the mud puddle. Then soon, the mud puddle became alive with six birds, five cockatoos and a falcon, as the group began to roll around in it like how dogs would in a puddle in a garden or street. It was quite an amusing sight and some of the other birds smiled as they watched Eustace and the others roll around, some feeling rather embarrassed doing this. Orion went to join but an emerald toucanet blocked his way.

"It's not recommended to coat yourself in mud, falcon," he said, nodding to the half-healed scratch on his chest, "Especially if you've got a wound like that."

"It's not good for wounds like that," said the toucanet's mate, "You might get it infected."

"And besides," said Diantha, "One, we don't want you getting hurt again and two, we could do with someone staying behind to look after these birds."

"But what am I gonna do for meat?" protested Orion. However, some green-billed toucans came over to him.

"We'll help you find some tapirs or capybaras," said one.

"Yeah, especially since we can't risk you going out there by yourself and risking running into another group of those bats again," said another. Orion smiled gratefully at the toucans' desire to help him find food. Then a few seconds later, five mud-clad cockatoos and one mud-clad falcon joined Diantha. Milo looked at his wings and body plumage, smiling.

"This stuff will certainly make us less noticeable to those bats while we fly out to warn the tribes and clads," he said.

"Absolutely," said the sun parakeet. Then an emerald toucanet ushered the seven towards the entrance.

"Now go and fly like crazy to the macaws and those bizarre four-winged birds and deliver the warning," he said, "We'll look after ourselves and your falcon friend."

"And your bag things," said a female sun parakeet, her eyes flashing to the pile of fanny packs Eustace and his group had taken off and placed by the cave wall. Eustace then walked to the front of the group and began to lead them through the tunnel towards the cave's mouth but not before saying goodbye to Orion as they passed him. Orion hugged Velocity.

"You be careful out there," he told his sister firmly, "We don't want you getting hurt like how I did."

"Don't worry, bro," said Velocity in reply, "We'll be as quick as we can."

And with that, she turned and followed the toucan and the cockatoos. Soon, the seven had pushed the rock aside to widen the gap in order to leave the cave and then next, the mud-covered group flapped into the air and were airborne. They struggled at first for the mud felt heavy on their feathers but they eventually got used to it.

"I just hope we deliver this warning to Blu and Jewel's tribe and everyone else before those bats put that new and horrible idea into action using that tranquiliser-like plant they had found," said Eustace as the group entered the tree canopy.

"What's a tranquiliser?" asked Diantha who had never heard of the word.

"It's a substance or thing that makes you drowsy," replied Milo, "Vets or humans who look after the health of animals sometimes those to make a dangerous animal that is unwell or injured easier and safer to handle."

"But based on what we have heard that bat say about this plant that has a drowsing effect on its victims and how they are going to use it to help with the kidnapping of birds," said Velocity, "That doesn't sound good at all. The tribes and clans need to know about this on the double."

"Plus what has happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws," added Rosa. She shuddered as she felt dread prick at her as the thought of Ceres, Cobalto, their sons Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio, and daughters Desdemona and Lucy came to mind, as well as Trixie and Fernanda, the girlfriends of Enceladus (one of Saturn and Orquidea's sons) and Azul respectively. Pushing those thoughts aside, Rosa followed her two brothers and four friends into the trees.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20- a vexing revelation about what the flying foxes had done**

 **The Navyfeather Clan and the glaucous tribe's home patch**

The Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and the glaucous macaws of Rudi and Valeria's tribe, together with some other bird species, non-tribe and clan residents that lived on the territory that were visiting them, swarmed the trees. Hyacinth macaws and some glaucous macaws were busily hoarding fruit from the territory into a storage tree based on safety concerns for the regular foraging groups with the flying foxes continuously roaming around. Among the non-tribe and clan birds visiting were Falkor the milicinth macaw, Fedor the hoatzin and his family consisting of a female hoatzin named Rafflesia and their son, Hedor, who resembled his father to a very great extent, and Ámbar, the lutino blue-and-gold macaw. Falkor, Ámbar and the hoatzin family had moved in with the Navyfeathers and glaucous macaws with the other non-tribe and clan birds for their safety.

Falkor the milicinth macaw was talking with Flavio, Marinho, Neptune and Ultramarine and Rudi, Valeria, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli about the flying fox situation while Neptune and Ultramarine's offspring, Triton and Indigo and their younger sister Violet, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli's offspring Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor and their closest friends, Neytiri and Aiden, Victor and Penelope, were chatting together. Juan, the cousin of Neytiri was helping his mother Michelle with the hoarding of fruit and other food but he and Neytiri had been banned from leaving the home patch, especially after what had happened to a class at the wings of a group of flying foxes, as well as the fact that the attacks had become more violent for the bats now had a goal in mind; kidnapping some individuals to haul back to their colony's territory for interrogation. With Charon's group was Hedor, Fedor and Rafflesia's young son who had just reached maturity. However, when he had been very young, at least a few days after his hatching when Pluto, Neptune and their families had met him first time, Hedor's plumage was nothing more than a covering of chocolate brown downy feathers and fringed feathers along his wings. Hedor also had two clawed fingers on his wings, which Fedor and Rafflesia had noted to the former city birds that this was a normal feature of hoatzin chicks and that they soon disappear as they mature. As Hedor grew up, like all hoatzins, his wing fingers certainly did vanish and his fluffy brown down became replaced with the adult plumage. However, because he was only little more than a year old, Hedor was still quite small, almost like a mini version of his father. As he grew up, he had become friends with Pluto and Neptune's offspring and friends.

"I can't believe we have had to leave behind our living spots to move here for our safety," murmured the young adult hoatzin with yearning to return to his neighbourhood where he and his parents lived, "I miss our tree and flowers so badly. So do most of the other birds including the red-fronted macaws."

"After that attack on the class of hyacinth macaws by a group of flying foxes the other day, Hedor," said Aiden as he sat with Blueberry, "There's no chance." His gaze then turned to Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor. "And I'm so glad that your mother wasn't present when it happened as well," he continued, "Had she been there, I think the awful memories of the previous siege on our tribe when she was an adolescent would have been greatly triggered."

Then Blueberry breathed a sad sigh, a sombre look overtaking her face. "But though we have not had a direct attack from a group of those bats," she said, "We did suffer an indirect blow from another group of those winged mammals."

The others immediately knew what she was referring to: the deaths of Blueberry and her three siblings' younger brother, and Pluto and Lapis Lazuli's younger son Charlie and Ozzy, the younger brother of Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and Mercury and Sapphire's youngest son. Since that day, Lapis Lazuli had spent most of her time in the hollow weeping with Pluto trying to comfort her and Phoebe, who had completely blamed herself for these losses, had completely remained in her family's hollow refusing to speak to anyone as reported by some visiting Lear's macaws yesterday and at one point she had had a bitter falling out with Squaw'tagnan who had tried to comfort her only to be pushed away by harsh outbursts from his girlfriend. Mercury, Sapphire, Jasmine, Annette and even Waldo and Monique had also been deterred by Phoebe's angry demands that they leave her alone. Blueberry's eyes stared sadly into the air as she imagined the depressed Lear's macaw as she continued to drown herself in utter self-pity and blame over the loss of Charlie and Ozzy. Charon then shook his head in disgust.

"It's horrible what these bats are doing," he muttered, "Attacking innocent chicks and killing them, causing all of us misery and trouble by roaming around our territories…"

"And not making us feel safe out there," added Penelope in agreement. Her gaze then turned to Triton who nodded in agreement. He shuddered as he remembered the other day, the same day on which Ozzy and Charlie were found dead, when he was spooked by flashes of drab colour appearing and disappearing in a blink of an eye, and how Neytiri had seen a shadowy figure gaze at her maliciously, leading her to suggest to the others to leave. It was obviously true of the majority of birds. They felt safe when they were with their tribe, clan or group-mates bout out there, even with a group, the feeling of dread and fear clung to them like forest debris. Charon and the others had noticed this in the faces of the birds that had been out on foraging trips to gather fruit, especially Juan, Neytiri's cousin. His eyes had been flickering about the environment and his feathers had stood on end as though he had expected something to jump out and attack him. It was the exact same feeling Neytiri and Triton had felt; the fear that something or someone was watching them from the shadows and poised to pounce on them and attack like a jaguar. It was a horrible feeling and it was very intimidating which appeared to be one of the flying foxes' infamous tricks. Then Quincy moved on to another subject. He began to fiddle with a leaf, his eyes gazing sadly at it.

"I wonder how Andromeda's clan is doing," he murmured, "Apparently, some of our tribe and clan members had been observing groups of flying foxes entering their territory too."

"Probably the same feelings of uncertainty and fear as us, I think," said Indigo, her eyes flashing at Violet occasionally as she sat perched on a small branch watching the food gatherers sort the fruit, nuts and various plant material, not looking at her, Triton, Penelope, Victor or Hedor and the glaucous macaws. Victor then gazed this way and that, a curious frown forming on his face.

"Come to think of it, though," he said, "we haven't at all seen much of the archaeobirds as of recent, apart from Spock, Ophiuchus, Honeydew and some other archaeobirds' visit to the Spix tribe the other day."

He then raised a wing and pushed his fruit-shell hat into its place as it went lopsided.

"Perhaps they're trying to stay safe after that flying fox attack on them, Tiago and some others?" asked Flor curiously, "I've heard that Spock was almost taken away, along with Tiago, Lavender and Dione I think it was."

"Rhea had suffered a dislocated wing, didn't she, while Glimmergem had her wing fractured by a club-armed flying fox and Sergio was stabbed by a sharp-stick," said Triton, "Glimmergem's bat-bird, however, was fatally stabbed while some others were injured but not too seriously."

"Those three are at the hospital being treated," said Neytiri, "But at least they'll get some respite from the flying fox trouble for a few days or perhaps weeks."

"We heard all about it," said Hedor in horror, "And you should have seen the reactions of Mom, Dad, Mr Falkor and Miss Ámbar when your father told them, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor. They had been utterly flabbergasted."

"And what's even more surprising," added Charon, "The warning that the flying foxes are planning an attack and invasion of our land as well as kidnapping some of us for information has been divulged by a family of those bats. Now that is unusual…"

"Maybe there are some flying foxes in that colony who sympathise with us birds and disagree with their colony's teaching that we are vermin?" asked Hedor.

"Well, I wouldn't count on that possibility existing," said Blueberry with a frown, "Based on the encounters most of our friends have had with those flying mammals, all they've faced was vicious attacks and loss of families and friends."

"One example being Uncle Roberto from the Spix macaws," said Triton, "not to mention it happening right before his capture by poachers and whisked away to be sold as a pet."

"And even more unfortunate that he had been purchased by the parents of a human girl who was very abusive to him," said Indigo, growling the last bit of the sentence with disgust. She, Triton and the other chicks had been told by their parents about how some humans were incredibly cruel and abusive to their animals and it was one of the things the group had learned from the book _Black Beauty_ which their parents had sometimes read to them when they lived in Rio, and Indigo and Triton had come to despise cruel humans. Triton then opened his beak to say something but then he closed it, having changed his mind. While Triton and company were talking, Violet saw a flash of colour enter the Navyfeathers' home patch. At this, she called the others.

"Guys, look," she shouted. Triton, Indigo, Penelope, Victor, Hedor, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Charon, Aiden and Neytiri all gathered around her.

"Aren't those birds some of the blue-throated macaws?" asked Violet, pointing to the figures entering the trees. Triton and Indigo both flashed her a surprised glance when suddenly, the air above the Navyfeather Clan's home trees became flooded with horrified gasps, followed by dozens of navy blue and grey and turquoise or blue comets as glaucous and hyacinth macaws eft their perches and converged towards the unexpected arrivals. Penelope recognised one of the blue and yellow macaws.

"Isn't that… Mr Reynaldo, the leader of the blue-throated macaw clan and his family?" she asked. Suddenly, several rushes of air made her jump. Triton and Indigo, together with Charon, Blueberry, Aiden and Neytiri, had lofted into flight. Penelope, Victor, Hedor, Violet, Quincy and Flor, who remained behind, exchanged concerned glances with each other.

"By the sounds of things," said Hedor, "Looks like another awful thing has happened."

The others said nothing.

Some of the Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and glaucous macaws, among them Neptune, Ultramarine, Flavio, Pluto, and Falkor the milicinth macaw, swooped towards the new arrivals which were indeed Reynaldo, Anita and their son Edson, together with Violeta, Arlo and Vincente, as they wearily flee into the Navyfeather Clan's home patch. When Triton, Indigo, Charon, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden slowed to a hover, they jerked their heads up and gasped in horror when they saw the state of the group. The three hyacinth macaws and the three blue-throated macaws were covered in half-healed scratches and other wounds as well as bald patches where feathers had been ripped out. However, the hyacinth macaws looked worse than the blue-throated macaws. While Reynaldo, his mate and his son were covered in a few cuts and bruises and a few bald patches, Violeta, Vincente and Arlo bore more serious injuries. A large half-healed gash ran across Violeta's forehead and she looked like she was struggling to fly. Her plumage, which usually had its sleek, lustrous violet-tinted navy blue coat of feathers, was tattered and torn with numerous bald patches, half-healed scratches and blooms of bruises crisscrossing and dotting it like deforested patches of forest, and much of Violeta's tail was missing. Her ponytail was completely in ruins with one or two feathers hanging from where it used to be and her dark blue eyes, which were flooded with tiredness, trauma, hunger and desperation, glided over the incoming Navyfeather macaws and glaucous macaws. Her two sons, Vincente and Arlo, flanked her, their mother's expression mirrored on their faces. Like their mother, their navy blue plumage was tattered and torn with loads of bruises, half-healed cuts and tooth marks and bald patches slashing through the once-sleek navy blue coating. Vincente's eyes were red, a sign he had been crying for hours, and Arlo had a large swelling above his right eye, right outside the yellow ring enclosing it. The swelling was so large that it had reduced Arlo's eye area to about half, like how an eyelid would cover half the eye when one was half-asleep, so his right eye so his eye was partially closed and he found flying very painful. Triton then noticed that two of the macaws were missing from Vincente's side. Normally, Vincente was seen with his mate Ligia and daughter Nadia, but they were missing. As he began to wonder why they weren't with Vincente and why his eyes were red, bloodshot and tear-stained, an idea entered his head but it was one that made him flinch.

As the horrified Navyfeather hyacinth macaws, glaucous macaws and some other birds converged on the battered group of six macaws with the rest of the birds looking on from the trees, surprised looks on their faces, Flavio, who was the first to arrive with Falkor, Neptune and Ultramarine, said, "Violeta, Reynaldo, guys! Look at the state of you! What happened?"

The group of Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and glaucous macaws began to help Violeta and company to a branch while Falkor called to a group of glaucous macaws to fetch in some nurses. As the six were helped along, Violeta began to gaze around at the crowd.

"Are you lot able to do us a favour?" she called, "We need a place to stay."

"However, it is not just us, me, Violeta and our families," added Reynaldo, "But our two clans and the other residents who are waiting outside your home patch."

At this, reluctant grumbles rolled through the crowd. Triton, Indigo, Charon, Blueberry, Aiden and Neytiri, as well as Penelope, Violet, Victor, Quincy, Flor and Hedor who had joined them, exchanged confused glances. Then Anita began to explain why they were here and how they had been reduced to a wounded mess.

"Last night, we were violently driven out of our homes by a huge cloud of flying foxes," she shouted, loud enough for all the birds to hear. This was met by rolls of horrified gasps and Triton and his group actually flinched as well.

"It can't be," murmured Triton quietly.

"How?" asked Penelope, "How could a pair of tough clans like the Bluewings and the blue-throated macaws be driven out by those bats so easily?"

As Violeta and the other five were placed on a perch, Violeta, wincing from her injuries' pains continued the explanation.

"It happened around midnight," she called, "There was just so many of them. They came upon us so suddenly that we were forced to hastily evacuate our homes. However, over three-quarters of my clan, the Bluewings, had died, having sacrificed themselves trying to protect the blue-throated macaws and the other members of my clan from those savage furballs. Vincente has lost his mate and daughter and Demetrio has gone missing..."

Violeta struggled to balance on the perch for her talons were also covered in cuts and bruises. However, Falkor and Neptune caught her and helped her to stand on the perch. As Violeta explained what had happened to Vincente's mate Ligia and daughter Nadia, tears began to well up in Vincente's eyes and spill down his cheeks as he began crying again and his brother Arlo also began to weep. Triton and his group hovered by, sympathetic looks in their eyes as they gazed at the heartbroken young male hyacinth macaw and his brother.

"Sounds like Vincente has lost his family during that siege his mother was on about," murmured Penelope with dread.

"Just like how Uncle Roberto lost his family to a group of flying foxes when he was a chick," whispered Triton. Victor, Hedor, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy, Flor, Indigo, Aiden and Neytiri just said nothing and continued to gaze at Vincente as he began to release another torrent of tears and sobs. Based on his bloodshot eyes, it was obvious that he had been crying a lot last night. As Triton's group hovered there, Neptune and Ultramarine's eyes landed on them, as did those of Hedor's parents, Fedor and Rafflesia as they helped Reynaldo and his family, making them flinch.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble," said Neptune, much to the group's relief.

"However, we might need your help," said Fedor firmly. Triton and Indigo, at this, shot a gaze at Violet, Penelope, Victor, Hedor, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy, Flor, Aiden and Neytiri who then exchanged confused glances, wondering what the male hoatzin meant by 'needing their help'? However, the answer came when they heard Flavio and Rudi call out to some macaws nearby and give them commands.

"I want you lot to help in Violeta and Reynaldo's clans and the other, non-clan birds that live with them into our home patch," called Flavio, "And also help any parents carry their unhatched eggs and chicks too young to fly and any bird that cannot fly at all due to injuries."

"While you guys," added Rudi to a group of glaucous macaws and a few more Navyfeather hyacinth macaws nearby, "I want you lot to help prepare any spare tree hollows, any space you have in your own hollows and also the small underground caves for Violeta and Reynaldo's clans while they are helped into our home patch. Find any moss and other nesting material and also gather the surplus fruit we had hoarded and bring them to their temporary lodging…"

As the glaucous tribe patriarch said this, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Aiden and Neytiri heard Pluto call out to them. At this, the six glaucous macaws' heads darted to him and they saw Pluto who hovered with Michelle and Juan, beckon to them with a talon to follow them. Obviously he wants the six glaucous macaws to help with the preparations. Charon flashed a glance at Triton, Indigo, Victor, Penelope, Violet and Hedor and said, "We'd better be off. Dad wants us to help set up the spare trees and whatnot."

And with that he, his girlfriend, two sisters and brother and Aiden darted off after Pluto while Triton, Indigo, Violet, Penelope, Victor and Hedor approached Neptune, Ultramarine, Marinho, Falkor and Fedor. Rafflesia and Ámbar had left to help with the tree setup while Neptune then led Triton's group and some other macaws toward the entrance to the Navyfeather Clan's home patch. As they flew along, Penelope wore a disgusted facial look.

"I can't believe what has happened to Mrs Violeta's clan and the other birds last night," she muttered.

"It's just like what happened to the previous clans and tribes of macaws and other birds," said Victor. Triton then flashed a glance at the glaucous macaws and said, "Not to mention Rudi's tribe when they were driven out violently by those flying foxes."

"Those bats are a bunch of _savage_ FURBALLS _,_ honestly," snarled Falkor stormily, his amber eyes ablaze with amber flames and his green and teal plumage with a sprinkle of navy blue tips on his chest feathers, all showing his military/hyacinth heritage flared out like the fur of an enraged city cat. Indigo and Violet slowly distanced themselves from the enraged milicinth macaw. Falkor rarely got angry or lost his temper but based on what had happened to Violeta and Reynaldo's clans last night, he was truly furious and the look of thunder on his face was like a storm cloud flashing lightning. Furthermore, his puffed out appearance made him look terrifying. But despite his frightening look, it was understandable; what the flying foxes had done was utterly abominable. However, Falkor had to remain focussed on helping the devastated Bluewing hyacinth clan, or the survivors of it, and the blue-throated macaws and the other birds.

Soon, a colourful cloud of birds, the majority of it rich blue and yellow-orange and some splashes of turquoise from the blue-throated macaws and some navy blue from the Bluewing hyacinth macaws, with the remaining different colours due to various species of non-tribe or clan residents that resided on the territory of the Bluewing and blue-throated macaw clans, slowly entered the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous tribe's home patch, where the Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and glaucous macaws began to guide them to either their hollows, unused hollows in the spare trees yet to be used and the small caves where nests, food and bedding were being set up and prepared. Chicks too young to fly (often referred to as 'under-flight aged chicks) and eggs were carried by some hyacinth and glaucous macaws, the parents of those eggs and chicks flying close by to prevent mix-ups. Many of the surviving hyacinth macaws of the Bluewing Clan were, like Violeta, Vincente and Arlo, covered with bald patches, tattered feathers, half-healed cuts and bruises and looked very weary. Like Violeta had said, around a quarter of the clan had managed to escape the siege of the flying foxes last night. Most of the blue-throated macaws, however, had survived but quite a few of them were also covered with cuts, bruises, bald patches and tattered feathers. All of the birds wore facial expressions consisting of a concoction of devastation, heartbreak, tiredness, fear, trauma and desperation, all the result of the unexpected attack from a bunch of black and red war-paint donning bats that looked terrifying in the light of the full moon, armed with various weapons, mostly sharp-sticks and the subsequent loss of their home and friends and family. Many of the birds also had bloodshot eyes and young chicks and adolescent Bluewing hyacinth and blue-throated macaws bore extremely frightened looks on their faces.

Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Victor helped to carry a clutch of eggs and a chick for a blue-throated macaw family, the parents of the chick and eggs nearby along with an older sister while Hedor and Violet were somewhere else helping with other things. The four young hyacinth macaws, together with Ultramarine and Pedro, Victor's father, guided the blue-throated macaw family towards Rodrigo's hollow where Rodrigo, Lapis Lazuli's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend who had a mate and two chicks, were waiting, for he and his family had three spare rooms in their hollow, plenty of room for a family of macaws their size. As Triton gently placed one of the eggs into a nest constructed by Rodrigo in one of the spare rooms with the help of Rodrigo's mate for he was small enough to enter a glaucous macaw's hollow, much to the grateful gazes of the egg's parents and its older sister, he turned to fly back out and help another group of macaws or family when his eyes landed on someone familiar. As recognition took hold, he drew in a horrified gasp.

"What is it, Triton?" asked Penelope. Suddenly, a sharp gasp entered her beak when she heard Charon's voice ring out, alongside a teal-tinted turquoise and grey comet, followed by five more similarly coloured comets, behind him rush towards a certain group of blue-throated macaws.

"Uncle Cobalto!" shouted Charon, "Wilbur, Aurelio, Desdemona, Lucy!"

At this, Triton's wings shot open and he hastily took to the air. Indigo, Victor and Penelope followed against Ultramarine and Pedro's protests.

"Um, guys, you're not…" began Ultramarine but she felt a wing on her own wing. At this, she turned to Rodrigo who shook his head which spoke, "Let them go to Cobalto and his family". Ultramarine, at this, abandoned her plan of chasing down the four young hyacinth macaws and returned to helping the blue-throated macaw family settle into Rodrigo's hollow, Pedro (Victor's father), helping. Seconds later, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor, together with Neytiri and Aiden and eventually Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Victor who joined the six glaucous macaws seconds later, hovered around the weary Cobalto and his remaining family. Like most of the other blue-throated macaws, Cobalto, Wilbur, Aurelio, Desdemona and Lucy all looked weary, battered and traumatised, the look of trauma especially plastered on the faces of the two girls and Charon gasped when he saw that Desdemona had a small cut on her face. However, it wasn't too serious and Lucy looked unmarked as well. But their two older brothers and father looked worse.

Small half-healed cuts and grazes marked their rich blue and yellow-orange plumages, alongside some bald patches where feathers had been torn out, but Wilbur bore two larger and longer gashes running from his left cheek, down his neck, slicing through the blue patch on his throat, and ending at his chest. When Triton examined where the gashes ran, he flinched as he realised that one of the two gashes ran dangerously close to a critical area of the neck. He knew that an important artery and vein of the neck, the carotid artery and the jugular vein, ran through there and the edge of the gash was a few millimetres from them. Had the injury been inflicted those millimetres closer to the critical area, and it would have been a fatal, and bloody, blow. Cobalto's left eye was surrounded by a purple-black bloom and the three feathers of his crest which greatly resembled that of Blu, was nothing more than a single feather. Aurelio looked bedraggled with cuts and bruises marking his body and half of his sheet-like crest feathers were missing. Then Triton and the other three hyacinth macaws and the six glaucous macaws surrounded Cobalto and his four offspring who only wearily gazed back at them when Indigo noticed that two of the family members were missing. Where were the third brother and Cobalto's mate? Before Indigo could deliver that question, Pluto and Lapis Lazuli flew in and began to help Cobalto and his remaining family members. It was at that moment that Neytiri's eyes caught sighted a flash of blue and yellow nearby. At this, she gazed at the blue and yellow form as it flew alongside a larger hyacinth macaw. Another hyacinth macaw, a chick, was nestled in the toes of the larger one's talons and flying alongside him was a male aqua blue and yellow bird. At first Neytiri thought he was a blue-throated macaw but then she noticed something different about him. She noticed that he lacked the blue throat patch under his beak, the key identifying characteristic of a blue-throated macaw, and that his forehead was green, a feature that the similar blue-throated macaws lacked. His wing feathers were a darker aqua blue than the rest of his back plumage and he had blue eyes. Like everyone else entering the Navyfearther Clan's home patch, he looked weary, traumatised and was marked with a few cuts and bruises, bald patches and his back bore some larger scratches. Neytiri, at this, felt recognition sweep over her like a gust of wind.

"Guys," she called the others, "Isn't that…?"

Suddenly, someone's voice blasted out the name of the macaw, finishing Neytiri's sentence and answering the question for her friends. "ENCELADUS!"

At this, Triton, Penelope, Indigo, Victor, and Charon, Blueberry, Aiden, Quincy, Flor and Neytiri as well all flinched. Then a turquoise and grey blur shot towards the blue-and-gold macaw, followed by a rich blue and yellow streak. Triton and the others, at this, darted off after Cobalto (who had handed Desdemona and Lucy to Wilbur and Aurelio) and Pluto as they rocketed towards the aqua blue and yellow macaw with the two hyacinth macaws, both males who were a young adult and a chick. As soon as Pluto and Cobalto had reached Enceladus, who was accompanied by the badly shaken Buddy and Matheus, the chick in his talons and his younger brother, the blue-and-gold macaw was met with a relieved hug, moments before Triton's group came in. Enceladus squirmed as his glaucous and blue-throated 'uncles' almost suffocated him. Then after the two macaws broke their hug with him, Cobalto began to weep over indescribable relief that Enceladus had managed to survive the siege last night.

"I thought you'd have died last night," he cried in a splintered voice, tears falling like rain from his eyes.

"When Violeta explained what had happened to these clans last night," said Pluto as the group landed on a branch to talk, "We had been utterly horrified."

Enceladus wearily looked up at his glaucous macaw 'uncle' and sighed. Next to Pluto, Triton and his group perched to hear the traumatised blue-and-gold macaw's explanation.

"It was like living in a _horror story,_ honestly," murmured the oldest son of Saturn and Orquidea, shuddering at what he had witnessed last night. "Those bats were absolutely terrifying. They were entirely black from head to foot with red streaks on their faces, wings and bodies, and all of them wielded spear-like sticks and other weapons which they used to slaughter countless hyacinth macaws in a bloody massacre." He then nodded to Buddy and Matheus who squirmed in his brother's wings, "I tried rescuing Trixie's family while she went to rescue the golden conures and some of the other residents but sadly, I only made it out with her two brothers, Buddy and baby Matheus here. Both the parents of these two and their sister were sadly killed…"

"Do you know where Trixie is now?" asked Triton. Enceladus, at first gazed at the young hyacinth macaw but then tears welled in his eyes as a feeling of dread came over him. Then when his emotions reached breaking point, he began to break down. He fell to his knees; wings clasped over his face and began to sob uncontrollably, loud sobs escaping his beak. Buddy and Matheus went over to hug him. Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor did the same. Pluto and Cobalto gazed at each other, sympathy flooding their faces but Cobalto understood the horrors Enceladus faced last night but could not believe that he was actually there when it happened. It was then that the branch shuddered as a heavy teal and green bird with navy blue wings and chest landed.

"I can't believe how many lives had been lost from the Bluewing Clan from the siege last night," said Falkor, "But I believe the Bluewings had been incredibly brave to protect the blue-throated macaw clan from certain complete slaughter…"

"We're the only clan of blue-throated macaws alive in Brazil anyway," said Cobalto, "Descended from the only flock of blue-throated macaws that live in Bolivia when our ancestors migrated to here, similar to how the Lear's macaw tribe's ancestors had migrated from Bahia to settle here…"

"Your species is incredibly rare and critically endangered too," said Falkor, "Sort of like the Spix, the Lear's and the glaucous macaws…"

Cobalto sighed in agreement. Then suddenly, commotion arose near the entrance of the Navyfeather Clan's home patch entrance. Aiden traced the focal point of the commotion and when he recognised someone familiar enter the home patch, he gasped in immense surprise.

"Guys, LOOOK!" he cried and pointed to the said focal point. At this, Triton, Enceladus, Pluto, Cobalto and the others all followed Aiden's point and when their eyes landed on another cloud of birds, this time with more colours with fewer blue and navy blue forms, led by a large, navy blue form at the front, they, especially Buddy, Matheus and Enceladus felt immense joy and relief splash over them.

"TRIXIE!" cried Enceladus and with that, his wings shot out and he rocketed towards the hyacinth macaw at the front. Buddy, with Matheus in his talons again, followed closely behind. Pluto, Cobalto, Triton, Falkor and the others also took off after them. Around the group, more hyacinth and glaucous macaws converged on the newcomers. Trixie, who flew at the front, gazed around at the wave of birds approaching her. Behind her flew dozens and dozens and dozens of birds of various species, most of them golden conures. Among the conures were Citrine and Caspian. Like the remaining Bluewing hyacinth macaws and the blue-throated macaw clan, the non-tribe and clan residents and Trixie wore traumatised and tired looks and some of them, including Trixie, appeared bedraggled with cuts, bruises and bald patches marking their bodies. Caspian's right eye was surrounded by a blue-black bruise and Citrine was missing most of her crest. However, they were glad to be in the safety of friends.

Enceladus, Buddy and Matheus rocketed towards Trixie, shouting her name. Trixie, at this, looked up and when she saw three familiar forms, one of them her beloved blue and yellow boyfriend, joy explosively broke through the rock of sadness, devastation and trauma. Without hesitation, she shouted back the names of her boyfriend and brothers and the moment the four met, they were locked in a group hug. Enceladus and Trixie shared a passionate kiss in the process. While the three hyacinth macaws and blue-and-gold were locked in their group embrace, Triton, Victor, Penelope and Indigo flew over to Caspian and Citrine while Falkor and some hyacinth and glaucous macaws began to guide the other non-tribe and clan residents to various refuge spots. Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden had been called by Pluto to help with this. Flashing a glance each at Triton and the other three as they flew away, Charon promised that they will see to Citrine, Caspian and Trixie later. Then after Trixie, Enceladus, Matheus and Buddy had broken their hug, Trixie saw that her parents were missing. Turning to Enceladus, she asked the silent question. However, Enceladus and Buddy only replied with looks of sombre, which implied to Trixie only one thing. When realisation came over the female hyacinth macaw, her joy melted to immense grief and anguish.

"I'm so sorry, Trixie," said Enceladus quietly, tears beginning to well in his eyes again. Buddy, Matheus and Trixie's eyes also began to well with tears and soon, the four began to release sobs and break down, the others looking on with sympathy. Flavio flew in with Neptune and Ultramarine and looked on, sympathy also written all over their faces as Trixie, her two brothers and boyfriend began to sob uncontrollably. Triton, Indigo, Victor and Penelope also exchanged glances.

"Uncle Saturn, Aunt Orquidea and Enceladus's six sibling are gonna be seriously horrified when they hear about all this," whispered Indigo with dread. Triton, Victor and Penelope only gazed back at her, worried looks on their faces. What were Saturn and Orquidea going to say and how were they going to react after they hear what had almost happened to one of their sons? The four young hyacinth macaws dreaded to think of their reaction. Then Cobalto came forward and placed a gentle wing onto Enceladus's shoulder as he continued hugging Trixie and weeping.

"You were very brave, my nephew," he said gently. Though Enceladus and Cobalto were completely different species and Enceladus was not biologically related to him, Cobalto still viewed him and his siblings and the other chicks including Carla, Bia and Tiago as his nephews and nieces. The same was true with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Blu, Roberto and all their mates, as well as Travis and Sunset back in Rio. Enceladus, feeling a warm pulse of comfort roll through him from Cobalto's wing, slowly looked up at his blue-throated macaw's 'uncle'. Then Flavio came in.

"At least you've managed to get your girlfriend's brothers out of that hellish night last night," he said. Enceladus just sighed. Then Buddy said, "Mom actually sacrificed herself to save Enceladus from being impaled by one of the flying foxes with its sharp-stick. Had she not done that, Enceladus would have been…"

He daren't say the dreaded 'k' word and the very thought of that bat harvesting one of the young blue-and-gold macaw's feathers as a trophy, gloating over his death, made him wince with immense revulsion. Then a look of immense outrage crossed Flavio's face. Hearing the sobs of the surviving hyacinth macaws of the Bluewing Clan, the blue-throated macaws and the resident non-tribe and clan birds who lived on their territory and seeing the looks of devastation, trauma, distress, anguish… I could probably fill half a page with all the emotions the poor birds had on their faces but I don't have time, but in a nutshell, the immense concoction of negative emotions on the faces of the macaws and the other birds especially the chicks, as well as their injuries and the loss of families and friends many had faced, such as Cobalto, Aurelio, Wilbur, Desdemona and Lucy with Ceres and Azul, based on the return of Cobalto's tears, had finally pushed the Navyfeather Clan patriarch over the edge. The pressure inside the volcano of wrath began to build up at an alarming rate within Flavio. His eyes became violet flames and his body began to tremble like a leaf. Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Indigo, wary of the former two's great-uncle's temper about to explode, backed away timidly while Neptune and Ultramarine flew over to the four to guide them away. However, before Flavio allowed his temper to finally erupt, he warned the others around him of the imminent explosion.

"Excuse me, you lot," he growled under his breath but loud enough to be heard, barely controlling the pressure of rage building within him, "And make sure you keep well away from me until I have calmed down."

Then without wasting another second, the patriarch's wings shot out and within seconds, he was airborne. Flavio retreated to a spacious area where no-one else was present and there he began to vent his fury.

Neptune, Ultramarine, Triton, Indigo, Victor, Penelope, and Enceladus, Buddy, Trixie, Matheus, Cobalto and Citrine and Caspian then stood there as extremely loud and aggressive screeches exploded from the Navyfeather Clan's patriarch's beak. Sounds of something wooden slammed against wooden arms and leaves were torn off, accompanied by fiery, vitriolic words spewing from his beak. These words were so caustic that Buddy had to cover Matheus's ears to prevent him hearing the too-mature music. Caspian looked on in utter shock.

"I'd never known your leader get so angry," he said to Neptune and Ultramarine. The two hyacinth macaws, however, wore unsurprised looks on their faces.

"I'm not surprised one bit," snapped Neptune, "What those flying foxes had done last night was absolutely vexing."

"Vexing isn't the word," snapped Ultramarine angrily, "It's absolutely unforgivable! Those deranged colon y leaders should have heeded our warnings by now but based on what we've observed and heard from Violeta and Reynaldo, it seems that they hadn't."

"Absolutely not," said Cobalto, backing up this statement. Neptune and the others just flashed him and Ultramarine a glance and said nothing. Then the group continued standing there, waiting for Flavio to burn his temper out and calm down while the other Navyfeather hyacinth macaws and glaucous macaws continued helping the Bluewing hyacinth macaws, the blue-throated macaws and the other bird residents into their temporary homes as well as treat their injuries and reconcile them. However, all were aware that Flavio was having a volcanic outburst and kept well away from him until he calmed down.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21- Eustace and Velocity deliver the warning and news to the Spix tribe**

 **The Spix tribe's ravine**

Cerulean and blue birds decorated the air above the ravine pool and lilypads as Spix macaws went out to carry out their daily business. The flock of rare blue birds were unaware of the tragedy that had occurred last night and that one of the territories had been violently taken by their membrane-winged enemies. However, the news of that was about to arrive any moment. Blu and Jewel were busy setting up foraging and patrol groups to send out and gather some food to bring back to the waterfall cave. Since Roberto had delivered the warning he had received from an unlikely ally who happened to be the younger brother of Cicatriz, Augustus and his mate Melissa, son Sebastian and two daughters Stella and Luna, class outings had been completely banned for the safety of the chicks and foraging and patrol groups had been expanded to three times their usual size so that if those groups were jumped by any group of roaming flying foxes armed with weapons, the macaws could protect themselves and escape. Furthermore, Jewel had ordered that self-defence devices, such as sticks and branches, be carried as well so that the patrollers and foragers could subdue their dangerously armed enemies easier. But despite these new rules in place, uncertainty continued to hover above the Spix macaws like a black cloud. Thrown in there was worry for their neighbours whom they had not seen for quite some time, especially after the violent attack in which one of Blu and Jewel's offspring, Tiago, had almost been taken the other day, along with Spock, Dione and Lavender, one of Roberto and Brisa's offspring. Ever since her narrow escape if it was not for her companions, the youngest and only first-brood daughter of Roberto and Brisa had been kept under strict watch by her parents and two older brothers. What had almost happened to Lavender had brought Roberto back to the horrific memories of the loss of his own family to a group of flying foxes led by the savage beast Voldemort and he did not want to risk that happening to any of his offspring, and certainly not his own mate and friends. To add, many of the Spix macaws were reluctant to trust Augustus and his family due to Augustus being the younger brother of Cicatriz and one of the sons of the previous flying fox colony Bruto and his mate Sombra. Some macaws had even questioned Augustus's allegiance to the birds of the Amazon and wondered if he was simply trying to trick them? Despite this, they were persuaded into trusting him since his warnings appeared to match the intentions of the flying foxes' attempted kidnaps that had happened over the day.

While some young macaws were throwing themselves onto the lilypads in the ravine pool to surf on them, laughing heartily and forgetting the flying fox worry for the time being, a certain macaw stood with his girlfriend gazing longingly at the group. Garrett sat on a rock watching those macaws have fun while Lavender was weaving a string of flowers and some coconut fibres into a necklace-like decoration. The only birds present in the ravine were Spix macaws now, Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, together with Felipe and the other red macaws having left and returned to their tribe as soon as Mars was released by Nuvem and Cassia who had deemed him fit to leave, and the group had left early this morning. While Garrett continued watching the surfing macaws, he turned round and gazed down his back at his tattered tail. It was nothing more than a mere pair of short twigs poking from a stump behind him, all the other long flight feathers having been ripped out by the bat that had attacked him during the skirmish when he tried attacking Lavender's kidnapper to release her. Though Garrett could still fly for his wing flight feathers were intact, his flight was clumsy and unsteady. Macaws needed a full tail to fly properly for the tail feathers served as stabilisers when the bird was airborne, and because Garrett was missing most of this crucial balancing stabiliser, he could not balance in the air very well. As a result, he was confined to land until his tail regrew and Nuvem and Cassia had told him that it could take a few weeks. This was why Garrett was so miserable and envious of the other young adult macaws who flew around, had fun and flung themselves onto the lilypads. There was no way a macaw with most of his tail missing could do that without potentially falling into the ravine pool and the middle of the ravine pool was deep enough to completely submerge a Spix macaw.

While Garrett breathed a sad sigh as he gazed at his stumpy tail, he heard Lavender's voice speak to him.

"I know how it feels to remain grounded until your tail grows back, Garrett," said she as she continued weaving the string of flowers and vine, before turning her gaze at Garrett and looked at him with her beautiful aquamarine-like eyes, "But you ought to be very proud of yourself for helping to rescue me from that beastly ball of fur with sheets of skin and bony fingers for wings yesterday." She growled the end of this sentence with pure malice, her ponytail flaring out. Garrett sighed and gazed at the scratch on Lavender's face and the bald patch on her tummy. The scratch was on its way to healing and to the relief of the tribe nurses, the injury was only minor. Garrett then caught sighted a flash of blue out the corner of his eye. At this, he turned and saw a familiar adult male macaw with the distinctive head feathers shared only by his sons Jojo and Chilro come by and gaze at Lavender. Lavender frowned as her father Roberto had given her yet another gaze, the fifteenth one she had counted since yesterday. Lavender hated being checked on all the time, especially by her parents and kept snapping to them that she was old enough to look after herself. She began to voice this disapproval to Garrett.

"I wish Dad wouldn't do this to me every time he comes past," muttered Lavender as she watched Roberto fly over to Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Chilro and Ophelia waiting for him by the pool's edge. "It's bad enough as it is with him watching me all the time each time I socialised with the male macaws when we were adolescents."

"He's just concerned for you," said Garrett, his eyes also watching Roberto as he landed before Brisa and Lavender's four siblings, "Especially after what almost happened to you yesterday."

Lavender just released a disgruntled huff. "But that doesn't mean that he and Mom can come by and check on me all the time. I'm getting SICK of it. It's like EVERY FIVE MINUTES!"

In her small outburst, the pale blue-purple macaw tossed down her decoration in a huff and folded her wings, a sour look on her face. Garrett rose to his feet and strode over to her.

"Don't you get it, Lavender?" he snapped, reasoning with the feisty macaw, "Those flying foxes almost took one of _Roberto's offspring_. Don't you remember how a bunch of flying foxes attacked and slaughtered his family when he was a young chick? He did not want one of his offspring falling into the wings of a bunch of flying creatures that had ORPHANED him!"

Lavender just pierced Garrett with a sour glare, making him stop talking. Taken aback, Garrett took a step back and raised his wings and shook his head in annoyance, as if to say, 'Honestly!'. He sometimes found Lavender's feistiness annoying. Then Garrett's gaze returned to his tattered and stumped tail, the consequence of his attempts to rescue Lavender.

"Look, I know how frustrating it is," he continued, his gaze back on his girlfriend who only looked back at him with a sour look, "But Tiago's on the same perch. He had been forbidden by Blu and Jewel from leaving the ravine for his safety, along with his siblings Carla, Bia, Luke and Linda and cousin Kira, and I'm also not surprised that Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil had been banned by Zephyr and Venus, Ricardo and Tyler by Nuvem and Cassia and also our other friends like Aurora, Turquesa and Músculo and myself by our parents as well…"

However, Garrett remembered that Nuvem had gone out on one of the foraging groups to help with the gathering of fruit. Cassia was at the infirmary with Tyler and Ricardo, and also Aurora, helping to treat minor injuries on dozens of patients. Lavender did not reply and returned to staring into space sourly. Giving up, Garrett returned to sitting on the rock.

Not too far away, Blu and Jewel continued to allocate macaws to a patrol group to send to the Spix/Lear's border to check that area and also potentially bump into a patrol group from the Lear's macaw tribe. While the two Spix tribe leaders did this, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Luke and Linda, the former three's younger brother and sister, were kept under the watchful eyes of Eduardo and Mimi while nearby, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil were helping Zephyr band Venus with the usual housework and looking after Azurite and Aquamarine. The scratch across Tiago's chest, like the cut on Lavender's face, was on its way to healing and thankfully, it too wasn't too deep. Tiago sat reading a book on jokes and pranks, his favourite topic, but his face was plastered with sourness much like Lavender's face. He had been strictly forbidden from joining any patrol or foraging group for his safety after what had happened yesterday, and the same ban had been replicated onto his two sisters, cousin and on Justin and his two sisters and brother family as well. While Tiago continued reading his favourite book, Bia sat nearby reading a book on physics and Carla had headphones in her ears, listening to some music. Kira was playing with Luke and Linda using pebbles like marbles and shooting them into some concentric marks made from flat leaves cut to resemble rings. A brown pebble shot into the ring and knocked into three of the marbles present, sending two of them flying out of the ring while the brown pebble settled near the central circle. Luke, the one who had thrown the marble, giggled while Kira and Linda breathed a sigh of mock frustration.

"Your aim's getting good, little cousin," said Kira. Luke just smiled at her.

"I can see he's a natural at that marble game," said Justin as he came by carrying some sticks, "He seems to take after Uncle Blu in his familiarity with human games."

"I wouldn't say that my uncle, I mean my biological uncle," said Kira, "Was any good at these human games. He told me that a greyhound puppy once beat him in chess when he lived in Rio."

Kira's eyes then travelled to her cousin Tiago as he continued reading his joke book. Nearby, Eduardo and Mimi continued watching the group. Then Virgil and Matilda walked in, thunderstruck looks on their faces.

"I can't believe that Tiago over there is still calm and collected and had even slept well last night," said Virgil in a splintered voice.

"After almost being whisked away by that group of winged furballs along with Dione, Spock and Lavender," said Matilda, "Anyone would have thought that he'd have been badly traumatised after what had happened to him."

"He's probably tough as a Brazil nut or coconut shell," said Justin in admiration.

"But it certainly didn't half frighten Uncle Blu and Aunt Jewel though," said Kira, "And I wouldn't be surprised that Andromeda and Eragon and the rest of Spock's relatives would have had the same reaction after hearing what had almost happened to Spock on the same day."

"And as for Uncle Beto (Roberto)," said Matilda, her gaze turning to Roberto and his family with Lavender and Garrett nearby, "He had suffered a _double_ whammy or two shocks simultaneously: first with witnessing Uncle Mars almost get brutally kidnapped by one gang of bats led by the infamous Voldemort, the one who participated in killing his family when he was young, and then subsequently hearing what had almost happened to Lavender at the clutches of another gang of flying foxes."

"Lavender and her brothers Jojo and Felix had been completely forbidden from leaving the ravine like Tiago and the rest of us for our safety," said Virgil, "Which is a shame really. I was planning on taking Bia out for a date to the Brazil nut grove…"

"After what almost happened to Mars over there?" asked Kira with a frown, "Absolutely not."

Virgil just sighed and resumed carrying some sticks he had carried in the direction of his family's hollow, Justin and Matilda following. Though the young adult macaws lived in their own hollows now, they had been commanded by Blu and Jewel to remain sight of their parents' hollows which further added to the frustration of some of Carla's friends. Lavender and Tiago were obviously two of those macaws. As Virgil left, Charlotte lighted down next to Kira, Luke and Linda. Like Tiago and Lavender, her face was twisted into a sour look with a streak of envy as she gazed at the patrol group as Blu and Jewel sent them out. She gazed longingly at the group as they flew through the ravine air and disappeared out of the ravine's entrance and on into the Spix tribe's territory to carry out their job. Charlotte loved going out and hated being confined to the ravine all the time but she knew that this was likely to be in place until the flying fox situation was sorted.

"How is it that those macaws get to go out while young macaws that had just become adults like us aren't?" growled Charlotte to Kira.

"I believe it's because the older adult macaws are more experienced, especially in self-defence," said Kira, "Since we've just become adults, we still have a lot to learn." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe that could be the main reason."

Charlotte just gazed at the last patrol group member as it disappeared out of the ravine entrance before turning and leaving for her parents' tree for she was on duty with looking after Azurite and Aquamarine. As Charlotte left, Blu and Jewel walked in, exhausted looks on their faces.

"That's the third massive patrol group we've sent out thus far," murmured Blu, "Being the new leaders of our tribe is not easy, you know."

"Daddy told me that he sometimes struggled with the role until several years later," said Jewel.

"Well, I believe you two are excellent leaders," said Kira, her eyes then travelling to her biological uncle Blu, "Especially considering the fact that you've spent the first fifteen years of your life living with a human before coming to here…"

"Indeed he is, my first-cousin, one removed," said Eduardo as he and Mimi walked over to her and her two younger cousins. Eduardo then beamed a proud smile at Blu. "I'm proud of him despite his little quirks."

"Such as sleeping in sometimes," sniggered Kira, the disappointment lifted slightly, "Only for Luke and Linda to go after him with a spider each time."

Luke and Linda released titters, much to the slightly annoyed glare of Blu. The group enjoyed the brief moment of amusement but that moment was then shattered when the group was alerted by the sounds of panicked flapping wings.

"Blu, Jewel!" cried a macaw. At this, Blu, Jewel, Kira, Eduardo, Mimi, Luke, Linda, and Tiago, Carla and Bia nearby looked up and saw a group of five blue macaws rocket in, the one who had called Blu and Jewel's names, Maximillian, at the front. As the five clumsily landed before the group, Jewel went over to them.

"Whoa, steady on, Max," he told Turquesa's father and his companions as they took a moment to regain control of their breath. Then one of Maximillian's companions spoke.

"There is something approaching the entrance of our ravine!" she blurted out. At this, an alarmed Blu and Jewel looked at each other while Kira, Carla, Bia and Tiago just said nothing. Luke and Linda whimpered timidly and huddled by Kira's side.

"Flying foxes?" asked Kira.

"No, a pair of birds," said Maximillian, "But unidentified brown species. We don't know what or who they are but we'll find out when they are closer to our ravine."

Blu and Jewel, at this, shot each other another alarmed glances and then lofted into flight, Maximillian and his four companions following.

"Stay here with our five offspring and our niece, Daddy and Aunt Mimi," said Jewel to Eduardo and Mimi as they left. Kira was about to follow but Mimi's wing shot out and stopped her.

"No, no, you'd better stay here, poppet," she said. Kira, at this, flashed Mimi a look and obeyed. Carla, Bia and Tiago did the same when Eduardo also blocked their way, but Tiago's reaction was not very positive.

"Honestly," he snapped and returned to reading his joke book.

"Don't you get it, bro," said Bia, "You were almost kidnapped yesterday."

"We don't want to risk that happening again," said Carla.

"That's right," said Eduardo firmly, "And the last thing we want is one of my grandchildren being whisked off into flying fox territory for brutal interrogation about us."

Tiago flinched in extreme revulsion as though he had been bitten by a venomous snake. He detested the thought of spilling information about his own tribe to every Amazon birds' sworn enemies, certainly not Cicatriz and Iracebeth, and betraying them. Repulsed with his stomach lurching, the young Blu lookalike but with a slender build returned to his joke book. Carla, Bia and the others sighed.

"One of Titan's sisters, Rhea, was forced to suffer a dislocated wing to save our brother from being taken to the territory of our enemies," murmured Carla. Bia then nodded to Garrett as he continued talking with Lavender with Jojo and Felix sitting nearby under the watchful eyes of Roberto and Brisa.

"And Garrett had to sacrifice most of his tail to save her (Lavender) from being kidnapped as well," she said, "Not to mention Aurora's younger brother Sergio having to face getting stabbed with a sharp-stick while helping him…"

Kira then felt a thought about Rhea, Sergio and the other casualty of yesterday's incident, the archaeobird named Glimmergem who had suffered a broken wing caused by a strike of a club-like weapon from one of the bats as they continued to spend time in the hospital being treated for their injuries. As for Glimmergem's bat-bird which had been a female grey 'pterodactyloid', or bat-birds that did not have a long bony tail with a diamond tip on the end, she had not been so lucky and Kira sighed as she remembered how the poor creature was slain during the skirmish.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the ravine, dozens of Spix macaws, among them Blu and Jewel had gathered around the entrance to the ravine, poised for action. Maximillian pointed to the incoming forms.

"There they are," he said. Blu and Jewel followed his point and saw the two strange brown birds.

"Well, as soon as those two arrive," Blu said, "We're gonna capture them and question them. Get ready, everyone."

The macaws around him obeyed and prepared to pounce onto the two forms. It was then that Venus, having left to see what the commotion was at Zephyr's permission and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Azurite and Aquamarine's request, turned up. When she gazed at the two approaching brown birds and were close enough for most of their features to be visible, she felt recognition creep over her. However, it was a very surprised reaction.

"Hang on!" she called, making Blu and Jewel shoot her a confused gaze. "They're not suspicious intruders; they're two of our city friends!"

At this, Blu, Jewel and the other macaws gazed at the approaching pair of birds as their features melted into view. Both of them had brown plumages but their body shapes and features appeared recognisable. One of them appeared to be a parrot with an enormous crest, but its tail was too short for it to be a macaw. The other had lethal looking talons and a cruel beak, as well as a pair of bulbous eyes and swallow-shaped wings, characteristics of a falcon and based on its size, Venus deduced it to be a female, knowing that female falcons were often larger than the males. However, she saw that the eyes of the short-tailed parrot with the crest were lilac. As the pair of brown birds touched down before the dumbfounded Spix macaws onto a branch, Venus approached them, her surprised eyes fixed onto the crested parrot with the lilac eyes.

" _Eustace_?" she murmured incredulously. The brown parrot nodded.

"Yes, Aunt Venus," it said in a voice Venus knew belonged to Eustace. The parrot then nodded to the brown falcon-like creature and said, "And this is Velocity. We're sorry to cause you guys a bit of an alarm."

The falcon named Velocity then raised a wing and wiped her face. When the wing came away, the brown masking her face became replaced by slate grey feathers. Eustace, the parrot which was actually a cockatoo, did the same but also to his crest as well and revealed to Venus and the other Spix macaws his pure white face and banded yellow crest, a characteristic of his sulfur-crested and Major Mitchell's heritage.

"They've coated themselves in _mud!"_ gasped Maximillian in shock.

"Yes, we did," said Velocity, "It's to prevent us from being seen by the flying foxes on our way to here."

Blu then came forward, a confrontational look on his face.

"What are you two still doing here!?" he barked, "I thought I told you lot to return to Rio!"

"You know it's very unsafe here," added Jewel, "Especially after what happened to your brother, Velocity, when he was talking to my mate on the phone."

"Oh, you mean Orion?" asked Velocity, "He's still alive and had managed to escape with a scratch but he's alright."

"And where are your brother and sister, Eustace, and Serena and Clemont?" demanded Blu.

"They're here as well with our toucan friend, Diantha," said Eustace, "However we don't have time to discuss about our wellbeing. We are here to deliver you some urgent news and a warning."

The Spix macaws, at this, exchanged glances. Then Venus asked, "What news and warning?"

Then Velocity launched into an explanation of what she and Orion, as well as Rosa, Eustace and Milo, had eavesdropped on the three bats earlier.

"While we were caring for a group of rescued birds in an underground cave, we overheard a trio of flying foxes talk about how well the driving out of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws and their co-residents went last night," she said. When these words reached the Spix macaws' ears, heads jerked up and horrified gasps rolled through the group. Blu and Jewel's eyes bulged out of their sockets and their beaks dropped open in extreme horror.

"Are you meaning to say that the flying foxes had actually driven out the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws and had taken their land!?" demanded Blu.

"You're JOKING!" shouted Jewel. However, the shakes of both the falcon and cockatoo's heads confirmed that they weren't. Venus then began to tremble all over as thoughts about Ceres, Cobalto, Aurelio, Wilbur, Azul, little Desdemona and Lucy and everyone else in those two clans and smaller bird groups such as Citrine and Caspian the golden conures and their families and the rest of their little group. Blu then gazed at Jewel with a thunderous look on his face.

"Something tells me that that pair of deranged colony leaders had not listened to our warnings, dear," he murmured.

"Cicatriz and Iracebeth really HAVE crossed the line now," hissed Jewel, an equally thunderous look on her face. Blu then turned back to Velocity and Eustace and asked, "Is there anything else we need to know?"

"Yes," said Velocity, "After those bats had talked about how well last night's events went, we heard that the colony's next plans are to invade the next patch of land and drive out the next flock of birds, starting with one of the three tribes that live near the colony's land."

"Oh, that's the Lear's, the blue-and-gold and the green macaw tribes!" cried Venus.

"Go on," said Maximillian.

"But to do that, Cicatrix or whatever his name is, is planning on kidnapping several members from the tribes and clans, including from the archaeobirds, for information," explained Eustace. As he said this, Roberto flew in. A look of surprise crossed his face when he heard what Eustace said.

"That sounds like what that flying fox Augustus and his family told us," he murmured.

"Augustus?" asked Eustace confused.

"We'll explain later," said Blu, "Go on."

"And after you tribes and clans had tripled your patrol and foraging groups to counter the flying foxes' attempts at kidnapping you, we heard one of those three bats say that one of the colony members had discovered a plant with tranquiliser-like properties," said Eustace.

"Tranquiliser?" repeated Roberto confused. Blu turned to him to explain.

"It's a substance that puts animals to sleep," he said, "Sort of like the stuff the humans known as animal doctors use on dangerous animals like crocodiles and jaguars, especially if they had been injured in order to make them easier and safer to handle."

"But a plant that makes one drowsy enough to fall asleep…" began Venus. She then turned to Velocity and Eustace and frowned.

"So are you two meaning to say that the bats had just discovered a plant with properties that puts victims to sleep or something?" she asked. The other Spix macaws looked on worriedly.

"Exactly, Venus," said Velocity, "According to those three bats, the plant apparently has knock-out properties capable of rendering a victim unconscious if it gets into them, like through a wound or through ingestion. And the flying fox colony is planning on turning that plant into a paste, and then smothering that paste into porcupine spines. After that, they plan on shooting those porcupine spines at their victims of choice to knock them out."

"And as soon as the paste takes effect on the victim, the bats plan on hauling those victims, while they are unconscious, back to their territory where they will wake once the substance wears off and then the bats will interrogate them," said Eustace. This took a few moments form the listeners to absorb this information but by the time they did, utter cries of despair erupted from some of the macaws while Blu and Jewel, Roberto and Venus gazed back at the falcon and the cockatoo, thunderstruck. Blu shuddered with dread while Roberto swayed as though he were about to faint. Nearby, Músculo, who had been sent by his parents to pick some berries, had stopped to listen to the whole thing. When he heard the information that Eustace and Velocity had just delivered, he flinched in extreme horror. Venus then shot Blu, Jewel and Roberto an alarmed look, moments before Eduardo arrived.

"This is bad, you three," Venus murmured.

"Do any of the other tribes and clans know about this?" asked Blu.

"Diantha, Milo, Clemont, Rosa and Serena already have that covered," said Velocity, "Diantha and Milo have gone to warn Felipe's tribe and the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous macaws who will hopefully go on to warn Andromeda and Eragon's clan while Clemont, Serena and Rosa had gone to the green, the Lear's and the blue-and-gold tribes…"

Roberto was about to speak when suddenly, the sound of flapping wings reached the ears of the group. At this, Blu, Jewel, Roberto, Venus, Eustace, Velocity and the others all looked up and saw one of the patrol groups rocket back to them, alarmed looks on their faces. There were about two dozen macaws in this group and some of them looked bedraggled and beaten, a number of scratches and bloodied injuries slashing through their cerulean and blue plumages, similar to the marks Tiago's group had yesterday but then Blu and Jewel noticed something else. Three of the macaws lay limp in the talons of their friends. As the large patrol group landed before the astonished Spix macaws accompanied by Eustace and Velocity, the three macaws were lowered before the group while those injured landed clumsily onto nearby branches, the pain of their injuries making flight and landing awkward. The audience drew in horrified gasps and some had flown away to bring in the tribe nurses to treat the injured. Some of the macaws in the crowd then began to assume that the three limp macaws were dead. However, first glances were often deceiving. Venus then noticed that someone was missing. This patrol group was the same group on which Nuvem, her cousin-in-law, had left with. Zephyr and Brisa arrived in time to see the arrival of Nuvem's group. When they saw the three limp macaws, horror exploded within them. Blu then stepped forward toward the patrol group.

"What has happened?" he asked. At this, the lead macaw who had led Nuvem's group out into the territory looked up at him and Jewel and the others standing around them. His face was laced with fright and shock.

"We just escaped a group of flying foxes," he said, "We were out patrolling the Spix/Lear's border as directed by you two when suddenly, we heard the sounds of something being shot into the air."

"The sounds were like those of an elastic vine being twanged but there were multiple of these," said another macaw in the group, a female. The audience listened, horrified looks on their faces. It was then that Eustace noticed a dash of brown amongst the blue plumage of one of the unconscious macaws, specifically in the hip area.

"And then the next thing we knew," said a third macaw, another male, "Some of us, among them Nuvem, screeched in agony and dropped like stones towards the forest floor. Those of us that weren't hit immediately dived down to our comrades and landed by their sides."

"We asked them what happened," said a fourth macaw, another male, "and Nuvem responded, 'We've been shot by something!' but what happened next sent everything flying into chaos for us."

"While we were looking over our injured comrades looking for what they had been shot down with, we were suddenly set upon by a large group of armed flying foxes who dived down at us from some large clusters of leaves in the canopy," said the lead macaw. Horrified gasps rolled through the group and Eustace began to examine the dash of brown in one of the three knocked out macaw's plumage. To his horror, he realised that it was from a stiff twig and part of it was embedded in the macaw's hip. Velocity murmured something to him. She could only come up with one option as to what the twig was and its origins.

"Those flying foxes then viciously attacked us and drove us away from the group of macaws," continued the lead macaw, "There were about six of them shot down but we had only managed to rescue three. We were forced to retreat due to the number of those flying foxes armed with their dangerous weapons like sharp-sticks and porcupine ball sticks and as we did, they took away the remaining three macaws, among them Nuvem…"

More horrified gasps exploded throughout the crowd and Zephyr, Brisa and Venus all flinched in immense horror. Cassia, Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora, who had been listening just outside the ravine's entrance, also flinched in immense horror as well. Nuvem was Cassia's mate and the father of Tyler and Ricardo.

"And on our way back here, the three macaws you see lying there," said the second macaw, "Began to become less and less responsive until they stopped moving altogether. They're still alive but they're unconscious…"

As he said this, Zephyr came forward and checked the female macaw's pulse by placing a talon on her neck. To his relief, he felt it beating.

"She's alive but she's unconscious," he said. Brisa and Venus also checked the pulses of the other two macaws and found that they were still beating as well.

"So are these two," said Venus. Jewel then frowned at the lead macaw.

"Did you see who shot your group-mates and Nuvem out of the air?" she asked.

"No," replied the lead macaw, "We were too busy with our task but as I've said before, we've heard the sounds of elastic vines being snapped. That was shortly succeeded by the agonised screeches of six of our group-mates, including Nuvem and those three."

"We tried our best in fending off those bats and rescuing all six of those shot down by the something but those bats viciously fought back and injured some of us," said another macaw in the patrol group, "During the skirmish, some of the bats managed to escape, Nuvem and the other two in tow while the rest of us were driven away."

"Roxie, our scoremarker who was with us," said the lead macaw, "Had been injured quite… badly. We had to take her to the animal hospital before returning to here." He then sighed. "This attack appeared quite different from the previous attacks reported yesterday and today which implies that the flying foxes had modified their plans in trying to catch birds to take away to their territory and interrogate."

"They also appeared well-prepared too," said the second macaw, "While we fought back against the bats, more came in and helped out, driving us away with stones fired from some sort of slingshots."

The lead macaw then saw the crestfallen looks on Blu, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus and Brisa's faces. "We're so sorry, you five," he said, "But we were hopelessly outnumbered by those reinforcements and were forced to retreat. We didn't want to risk any of us getting killed…"

As he said this, Eustace pointed out to the stiff twig jutting out like a barb from one of the macaw's hip. "This thing is a porcupine spine," he said, "So that definitely sums up what we had heard from those three bats back in the cavern."

The other patrollers also turned over the other two limp macaws and saw that they had a porcupine spine embedded in the feathers of their hip or side as well as more horrified gasps and murmured rolled through the crowd. Blu then turned to Eustace and Velcoity and said, "Well, as much as I am angry at you two and Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Orion and your toucan friend for disobeying my orders to return to Rio, I'd like to thank you both for the warning and also telling us what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws. Now you leave to your hiding place and we'll take it from here."

"And do be careful out there," said Jewel firmly, "Our territory's loaded with roaming groups of flying foxes."

"Thanks, Blu, Jewel," said Velocity and with that, she and Eustace opened their still-mud covered wings and took off. As the falcon and the cockatoo left, Blu and the other Spix macaws returned to their ravine. A look of thunder was plastered all over Blu and Jewel's faces. The injured macaws of the patrol group and the three still-unconscious macaws were carried along by the tribe nurses that had been summoned by some of the crowd members.

"I'm afraid this means war, Blu," growled Jewel bitterly, "I'm afraid the written warnings we had sent to Cicatriz and Iracebeth had been our last peaceful shot."

"I hope any members of the Bluewing hyacinth Clan and the blue-throated macaw clan," said Blu worriedly, "and also the non-tribe and clan residents such as the golden conures that had survived the incident last night are alright. I'm particularly thinking of Ceres and her family."

This was answered by a dreaded look from Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa. Their minds were also swamped with concerns for Nuvem and the other two macaws, the three that had been successfully kidnapped by the flying foxes. What was the Spix tribe to do now? Extreme disappointment and despair enveloping them like a cloud, the Spix macaws continued into the ravine.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22- some more macaws end up kidnapped**

 **At the green/Lear's border in the camu-camu bush grove**

Alonso and some of his inner-circle birds, together with Valentino, Rosalind, Waldo, Monique, Sapphire and her mate Mercury and their daughters Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and some other Lear's macaws were at the camu-camu grove, listening to two of Eustace and Velocity's friends, Clemont, Serena and Rosa, with horrified and disbelieving facial expressions as the three cockatoos delivered all they had heard from the three bats back at the cave, including what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws. Like Eustace and Velocity, the three cockatoos had flown to the territories of Alonso and Waldo's tribes each covered in a suit of mud.

"… and that is what the flying fox colony is planning to do," said Serena, finishing the explanation of the bats' plans, "They're going to use this knockout plant to put their victims to sleep to haul out rather than capture them and have them fight back."

"Their likely targets are the patrol and foraging groups," said Clemont. As he said this, Sapphire whipped round as she tried to comfort Phoebe who was still depressed over the incident involving Charlie and Ozzy's deaths the other day. Sapphire and Mercury had set to having another brood to replace their lost son but no eggs had been laid in the nest yet. Not too far away, Squaw'tagnan stood with twin brothers Lewin and Luis, his back turned to Phoebe and her sisters as he talked with his friends.

"You're not serious," cried Sapphire in disbelief.

"Are you meaning to say that Cicatriz and Iracebeth have not listened to our warnings?" added Alonso. Waldo, Monique, Mercury and Valentino stood with Sapphire and Rosalind, incredulous looks plastered all over their faces.

"We are being serious," replied Rosa to confirm that what they had heard from the three bats were not some sort of fabricated story, "We overheard three of those flying foxes talk about this back in an underground cave in which we took refuge with some birds…"

At this, Rosalind's head snapped to her mate and Alonso and Verde.

"We need to send some macaws out to bring back Uranus's foraging group before they fall victim to any of those sneaky bats," she said urgently. Sapphire and Mercury's faces flashed with horror. Uranus, Esmeralda, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, together with Ash and Aramis were among that group. Waldo, at this, stood straight up, a determined look on his face. "I'll lead that group and find them before any of those roaming bats do," he said sternly. And with that, he began to gather up some Lear's and green macaws for the task, among them Luis and Lewin. Mercury went to join but Sapphire stopped him, fearing for his safety. Phoebe also went to follow but she was stopped by Rosalind who gently shook her head. Phoebe then obeyed and sat back down. Then as soon as he had gathered up enough macaws, Waldo hovered before Valentino and Alonso.

"We'll be back as soon as we can, sirs," said Waldo quickly.

"Then make sure that you find that foraging group and fast!" shouted Alonso urgently. Valentino and Rosalind nodded in agreement. And with that, the mixed group of Lear's and green macaws darted off into the trees in the direction of where Uranus's foraging group had left. Rosa went to follow.

"Oh, you'd better stay here, Rosa," said Mercury, a wing in front of her to stop her from following.

"Yes, those flying foxes are incredibly dangerous, especially with those weapons," added Verde. Rosa, at this, obeyed and lighted down. Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan then looked on with worry for their green friends.

"I really hope you lot are joking," murmured Jasmine to Clemont, Serena and Rosa. However, the three cockatoos gazed back at her with honest expressions on their faces.

 **Meanwhile**

A group of great green and military macaws were browsing a mango tree for ripe fruit to bring back to their tribe's home patch. The group had brought bags made from tough sticks and vines to save several trips. Among them were Esmeralda, Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, and Ash and Aramis. Edmund, the younger brother of Miranda and her four siblings was back at the green tribe's trees being looked after by a babysitter. While the pickers were harvesting ripe mangoes and other fruit, some great green and military macaws were perched around them, looking out for any flying animals with soil-black membranous wings and red, orange, brown or dark brown fur crisscrossed with scars carrying sharp-sticks and other weapons with a cloud of colour tied to one end. Oberon placed a ripe mango into a bag held by Ariel and a female military macaw named Kari while Aramis, Ash and Titania held another bag open for Miranda, Ariel and Umbriel to place their mangoes in. As they continued to load their bags with mangoes, Umbriel breathed a sad and longing sigh.

"I wish I could still fly to the red tribe's home patch and visit my scarlet boyfriend Benjamin without having to worry about running into any of those pesky bats," she murmured.

"I'm afraid it's too dangerous," said Uranus nearby as he placed a few berries into another bag, "We can't have any of us running into any armed bats and getting hurt or worse."

"Especially after what happened to Tiago's group in the Spix macaw tribe's territory yesterday," added Esmeralda. Umbriel sighed and went to pick another mango.

"I sure hope that Cicatriz will have heeded our warnings by now," said another great green macaw, a former Pit of Games player named Ted, "Because if he and his bats don't, there will be consequences."

"They've trespassed in our territory enough times, anyway," muttered Esmeralda with a growl.

"Let's just finish the task," said Uranus and with that, the group continued loading their bags with fruit. However, the group was unaware that they were being watched. In the shadow of the leaves and branches of a large tree, several pairs of eyes appeared. The pairs of eyes glinted evilly in the dark as they focussed on the foraging group of green macaws. Then one of the shadowy owners of the eyes fiddled and began to prepare something. While the great green and military macaws continued loading their fruit, Aramis stiffened. He began to glance about the surroundings while the others continued their task, the feeling of being watched by something pricking at him for he had heard something out of the ordinary. Aramis had very acute hearing and was able to pick up even the faintest of sounds, a skill he likely developed during his time as a pet macaw.

"Hey, Aramis," said Miranda when she saw the slender great green macaw look warily around like an alerted deer, "Problem?"

Uranus and Esmeralda and some of the other macaws including Ted also stopped and gazed at the wary young male.

"Something troubling you, Aramis?" asked Uranus.

"I have a feeling something is stalking us," murmured Aramis timidly. At this, Esmeralda and Uranus looked around.

"Well, I don't see anything," said Esmeralda, "So there's nothing to be wary or fearful about."

"But I believe I have heard something suspicious," said Aramis.

"A predator like a harpy eagle?" asked Ariel.

"No," said Aramis, "Something else."

Uranus then breathed an irritated sigh.

"Look, we have no time to pause and worry about stalkers or predators," he said, "We've a task to complete. Now back to work, Aramis."

Aramis sighed and returned to browsing the mango tree for any more ripe mangoes. However, he was right to be alerted and wary for not too far away, one of the owners of the pairs of eyes glaring at the foraging group had already finished loading whatever it had in its wings and had taken aim at the green macaws. It had some sort of slingshot made from a y-shaped piece of wood and an elastic vine tied to the ends of the 'y', but it was designed to fire something else entirely different. Loaded onto the slingshot-like weapon was a long, rigid stick and it was coated with a substance on the end.

The green macaws continued loading the bags until the lead macaw finally gave the finishing signal.

"Right, I think that's enough fruit, team," she said, "Well done, everyone. Let's head back to our trees."

The others breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finished at last," said Oberon with relief, "I was starting to feel on edge."

"Fearing that we'd be jumped by a bunch of armed flying foxes like how Tiago's group was?" asked Titania, "Oh, yeah."

"Right, let's go," said Uranus. No sooner than the last word had escaped his mouth when suddenly, a mysterious twang sounded. A split second later, a swooshing noise sliced through the quiet air and after that, an agonised screech exploded from one of the macaws. The other foragers snapped their gaze at the crier and to their surprise and horror, especially Uranus, Esmeralda, Miranda, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Ash, Ariel was the one emitting a piercing screech. Her face was twisted in agony and she was grasping her left hip with her wings. Something had flown in from nowhere and had struck Ariel. Terror then exploded chaotically through the foraging group.

"ARIEL!" cried Uranus when suddenly, another _twang-swoosh_ was heard. As the macaws heard this, Ted felt excruciating pain explode from his back as something jabbed into it. At this, he jumped about a metre into the air and grabbed his back, screeching in agony while Ariel crumpled onto a branch, her wings wrapped tightly around the something in her hip and her face twisted in immense agony. Esmeralda and some other macaws rushed in to help Ted.

"Ted, what is it!?" cried Esmeralda. Ted, his face twisted in extreme pain then stopped crying in pain and removed his wings, revealing a stiff barb-like thing embedded in his back. Esmeralda examined this closely and when she realised what it was, she drew in a horrified gasp.

"It's a porcupine spine!" she cried.

"Porcupine…?" began the lead macaw when the air was once again slashed with another _twang-swoop_. Aramis was the first to spot the object causing it. It whizzed through the air like a dart, aiming straight for Miranda.

"LOOK OUT!" he cried and gave Miranda a hefty shove, a split-second before the dart-like barb thing zoomed towards his plumage. The porcupine spine sliced through Aramis's back feathers. Two or three yellow-green contours were pulled by the flying dart as it sailed over the Aramis's back, an inch above his skin and then jammed itself into the bark of a tree trunk. Aramis then stood up and looked at it.

"Good grief!" he cried. Miranda also turned and looked at it.

"Is that a…" she began but suddenly, the air was shattered with an ear-splitting screech from the lead macaw.

"FLYING FOXES! RETREEEAAAT!"

At this, Miranda and Aramis snapped their gazes from the embedded spine and gazed at the other foragers as panic exploded through them. However, their eyes landed on a group of furry forms with black membranous wings as they emerged from the leaves of a nearby large tree and the moment their eyes made contact, ice splashed over them and submerged their hearts. Driven by panic, Aramis and Miranda lofted into flight and flew off after the other foragers, the group of flying foxes, among them Shinzon, in hot pursuit.

Through the trees, Waldo and his group continued flying through the canopy when the sounds of screaming macaws reached their ears. At this, horror exploded within them.

"URANUS AND HIS GROUP!" cried Luis and with that, he and his brother Lewin bolted off, followed by the others. The rescue group accelerated on, tracing the source of the frightened cries until they finally exploded from a cluster of trees into a clearing where the source was located. However, as the source came into view, Waldo's heart, and the hearts of the others were swamped with icy water. Right before their eyes was a skirmish cloud with flashes of blue, green, red, yellow and also drabber colours like reddish, black and brown. From the cloud fell feathers, fur and a few blood drops as the group of great green, military macaws and flying foxes viciously fought, the flying foxes wielding weapons like sharp-sticks. Alarmed, Waldo and his group leaped into the fray to help drive off the flying foxes. Ariel and Ted, the two that had been stabbed by porcupine spines, flapped out of the cloud with two flying foxes in hot pursuit. However, the two's heads began to feel like they were flying at a very high altitude, accompanied by drowsiness. Something in the porcupine spines they were struck with was beginning to do its sinister work on the two. As drowsiness eventually engulfed Ariel to the point of clouding her ability to think clearly, she plummeted from the air and slammed onto a branch. Wearily, she gazed at the battle cloud of green, blue, red, yellow and now navy blue feathers and reddish, brown, dark brown and orange fur and membranous wings.

"He-e-eeellp…" she called weakly but then the drowsiness took its toll on her thinking and her head flopped down onto the branch. Nearby, Ted also passed out as the substance in the porcupine spine completed its work on him as well and he fell facedown onto another branch. The moment Ariel plunged into drowsy unconsciousness, two of the flying foxes, one armed with a slingshot-like weapon consisting of a wide y-shaped wooden piece with some elastic vine attached, touched down around Ariel and examined her for any response. To their wicked glee, there was none.

"Right, let's…" said one of them, a brown female who had the slingshot-like weapon when suddenly; an ear-splitting screech sounded behind them. At this, the brown female bat and her companion, an orange male, whipped round just in time to see a navy blue comet with dark teal tinting his face as well as yellow wings surrounding his eyes and a black beak below them, another piece of yellow-orange skin behind the mandible swoop down upon them from the trees through which Waldo and his group had flown.

Mercury dived down like a falcon with his talons poised to inflict injury, his eyes ablaze with enormous grey firestorms. Then without hesitation, he slashed his claws over the brown female bat's face to knock her away from Ariel. The female bat, a surprised and agonised screech erupting from her mouth, was sent flying back from the branch, several drops of her blood flying after Mercury as he flew away. The slingshot-like weapon held by the bat was sent careening through the air. Her companion, the orange male, at this, snapped his gaze from Ariel's limp body to his friend when suddenly, another navy blue comet darted in and tackled him off the branch for Sapphire had attacked. With a shriek of surprise, the male bat was sent tumbling through the canopy. However, the male managed to regain his control and began to flap his membranous wings but before he could act, Sapphire jumped onto him and began to mercilessly claw him while Mercury savagely went for the brown female. While Mercury and Sapphire kept the two attempted kidnappers of Ariel busy, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Rosa, Clemont and Serena arrived to rescue Ariel while Rosalind and Valentino, together with Alonso and Verde, went to help Waldo's group. The newcomers had changed their minds and had decided to rescue Uranus's group at Rosa's insistence. As they arrived to collect the limp Ariel, Clemont saw a barb-like spine jutting out from her left hip.

"That's the porcupine spine with the substance we heard the bats mention," said Clemont.

"Never mind about that," said Phoebe seriously, "Let's get her out of… look OUT!"

At this, the group looked up and saw an enormous brown flying fox swoop down at them from the battle cloud with its sharp-stick aimed at them. At this, Rosa flapped up despite Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette's protests and prepared to attack. Her crest flared out and her eyes ignited into enormous pink flames. Then as soon as the flying fox was near, Rosa, her talons prepared, clamped her talons down onto the bat's sharp-stick and began to try and yank it from its owner's membranous wings. The momentum sent the bat and the cockatoo into a wild spin, the former struggling against the latter for his sharp-stick. While Rosa kept the bat occupied, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Serena escaped with Ariel in tow and with Umbriel and Oberon flying after them. Clemont, however, stayed behind to help his girlfriend.

"Let GO of my sharp-stick you FEATHERED SLUG…" snarled the bat but Rosa refused to unwrap her talons from the bat's sharp-stick.

"Over my dead body," snapped Rosa in a fierce snarl. The bat then began to fiercely tug at the sharp-stick with its claws, yanking Rosa and pulling her upper body and face towards its own. When Rosa's beak was in the bat's face, Rosa proceeded to bite down onto the bat's nose as hard as she could. An ear-piercing screech exploded from the bat's face as Rosa's beak remained clamped onto it. In the process it released its sharp-stick. The stick was caught by Clemont much to his surprise. Then suddenly, Mercury's voice shouted, "Rosa, look OUT!"

At this, Rosa released the bat's nose and turned just in time to see another bat with brown fur and a white batch on its torso fly in with a stick, but not a sharp-stick, poised to whack her. Below Rosa, another bat had attacked Clemont.

"Lights out, you JUNGLE RODENT!" snarled the bat and before Rosa could react, the right side of her head felt like it had been slammed against a hard surface as the bat's stick swung round and made contact there, hard. A split-second later Rosa's vision became jolted with dozens and dozens of fireflies and her mind began to spin as though a heavy ball were inside it. Next, the connection between her brain and the rest of the body became interrupted and Rosa's world began to ascend around her, merging together into a blurry mess. Sounds around Rosa became echoed and she could hear Clemont's voice screech her name.

"ROOOSSSAAA!"

Then the last thing Rosa could pick up before blackness began to set in, she saw her world abruptly stop ascending as something caught her wings and tail…

Back in the battle cloud, the Lear's great green and military macaws continued viciously fighting against the flying foxes. However, more flying foxes had flown in to help and soon the group realised they were outnumbered. Uranus soon found himself face to face with a face loaded with scorn from the lead flying fox, Shinzon. Shinzon flashed Uranus a devilish smile, his weapon, a mace-like stick with a ball of porcupine spines on one end, poised to strike.

"Hello… lowly green ball of slimy featherssss..." hissed the bat in a snaky voice. Uranus flinched harshly but then he snapped back to reality as Shinzon lurched at him with his weapon. Instantly, Uranus's claws came up and hooked onto the weapon as the porcupine spine ball approached him, stopping it in its tracks. Shinzon grunted as he attempted to force the spiky ball onto Uranus to inflict a nasty injury on him while Uranus grunted as he resisted on the other end. As he remained locked in a struggle with the evil bat, he heard a macaw shout, "WALDO!" as well as more screeches and the clashing of weapons as the skirmish between the bats and the macaws continued to rage. Uranus continued pushing with all his might against Shinzon's attempt to bludgeon him with the mace-like weapon, his face twisted into one of straining including a clenched beak. The look was mirrored on Shinzon's face as well as he continued pushing against the great green macaw. Then after another minute of this, Uranus eventually overpowered Shinzon and forced him back. Then with an enraged screech, Uranus lashed at Shinzon and attempted to claw the evil bat across the face but Shinzon dodged. Uranus was about to lunge at Shinzon again for another attempt but before he could do so; he felt excruciating pain explode from his right side, just under the wing. At this, he emitted an ear-piercing screech and flapped clumsily away. As he left, a female bat with orange fur appeared with a scornful look on her face.

"Wretched great green macaw!" she bellowed. She had been the one to stab a porcupine spine into Uranus's side to rescue Shinzon. Shinzon gave the bat a nod of approval to thank her.

"Let's take what we can and get outa here," said he and with that, he and the bat rocketed off to call the other bats.

Uranus flapped clumsily towards a branch, a talon grasping where he had been stabbed. As he reached a large branch, he flopped down on his front. His face twisted in sheer agony, Uranus groped his side with his other wing until he felt a stiff twig poking out from under his wing. At this, he gazed down at the spot and when he saw a brown stick-like thing jutting from his green feathers, he released a cry of alarm. It was a porcupine spine but then Uranus noticed something not right about the spine. Near where it entered his plumage, a few drops of weird green dotted the twig. Uranus, his face twisted in agony, grasped the spine and pulled it out from under his wing before raising it to his face to have a proper look at it. He then noticed that the tip had been coated with some sort of green substance based on some green flecks among the red from his own blood, similar to the medicinal paste the green tribe nurses sometimes had in their infirmary tree when they mixed medicinal plants with water to create a paste before applying it to wounds and rashes. However, the paste used on the spines utilised by the flying foxes was altogether very different but before Uranus could deduce what the intentions were behind this paste, he suddenly began to feel funny. His head became very light as though he were flying at a high altitude. As these feelings washed over him, Uranus dropped the spine and clasped his head. It was obviously the effects of the paste which seemed to have entered his bloodstream when the porcupine spine entered his skin and now it was beginning to release its effects. The drowsiness continued enveloping Uranus's mind and he began to walk unsteadily. As the drowsiness increased and he flopped onto his front again, the sounds from the skirmish began to fade but Uranus only had time to hear Alonso's voice before his world finally became engulfed in darkness.

 **Later**

Uranus's vision started out blurry as he finally found his way out of the blackness of unconsciousness. He had no idea how long he had been out cold but it must have been for a good while. As his vision began to clear his eyes picked up a brown background with some colourful smudges at the front. Some were green with red spots and grey blotches below the red while some were dark blue with orange-yellow and black marks. Suddenly, an echoed voice said, "He's coming round, Alonso."

Uranus, at this, gasped in surprise when his brain registered his whereabouts. When his vision finally became fully clear and the shapes became recognisable forms, Uranus sat up, realising he was in a bed of moss.

"Whoa, calm down, Uranus," said the green macaw at the front, Alonso. At this, Uranus relaxed as his tribe patriarch's wing rested on his shoulder. However, his mind swam through a cloud of confusion and he was speechless. Finally, he found the courage to speak.

"What happened?" he asked, his green eyes darting this way and that at the walls of the infirmary tree, "How long have I been out?"

"You were out for a good several hours," said a Lear's macaw which was Sapphire. She was holding a ball of damp moss over her cheek and Uranus deduced that she must have been scratched in the face. Alonso began to add to the details.

"We have only managed to escape that cloud of pesky bats," he said, "They retreated after driving us off but… some of us got badly injured."

"Injured?" asked Uranus. Then a thought came to him; the thought about his mate, four daughters, son, Aramis, Ash and Mercury's family.

"Wait, where is Esmeralda?" he asked frantically, "And also Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon?"

At this, Alonso's face fell, much to Uranus's feeling of dread. Sapphire then answered the question. However, her face was sombre too.

"Your four daughters and son are alright," she said, "As are Mercury, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Aramis and Ash…"

Uranus saw past Sapphire and saw one of his daughters, Ariel, awake in a bed of moss. Like her father, she had recovered from her unconsciousness but was dazed and stunned at what happened. Miranda, Oberon, Umbriel and Titania stood around her. Sapphire then gazed sadly at Uranus. "But…" she began but trailed off.

"But what?" asked Uranus, wanting to know. Sapphire and Alonso only replied with saddened faces. Uranus became flooded with agitation. He desperately wanted to know where Esmeralda was.

"Where is Esmeralda?" he demanded. Alonso's face fell further.

"I'm afraid she's been taken by those flying foxes," he murmured, "Along with Ted and two others."

Sapphire's eyes then welled with tears and she began to cry. "So has Waldo," she said in an edgy voice, "Alongside three other Lear's macaw. We had been unable to save them."

"Mercury and Valentino went to rescue those macaws but some flying foxes viciously attacked them," explained Alonso, tears also falling from his eyes, "Mercury had suffered a blow to the head while some of the others also got injured but Valentino…"

Alonso daren't say what had happened to Valentino but then the sounds of weeping entered the infirmary tree from outside. At this, Uranus tried to see past Alonso and Sapphire but could not due to his position in his moss bed. But he knew who those sobs belonged to. They belonged to Rosalind, the mate of Valentino and former tribe matriarch of the Lear's macaws. Sapphire flashed a glance outside through a hole in the infirmary tree and saw several Lear's, great green and military macaws, among them Monique (the Lear's tribe's scoremarker), Mercury, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Lewin and Luis, surround something wrapped in big leaves. Nearby, Rosalind was weeping, her tears falling like rain during a thunderstorm and her wails were as loud as a howler monkey's cries. Sapphire continued to weep while Alonso and Uranus, together with Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, Ash and Aramis, felt a pang of pity for the Lear's macaws. They could not believe that something like this would happen to a former leader of theirs, and Valentino was like a brother to Alonso, the close bond having formed shortly after the green and Lear's tribes had made peace.

"It's going to be a difficult time for us, I think," murmured Alonso in a broken voice. He raised a wing to his beak and sniffled as he began to weep as well. Uranus just sat there, his brain wracked with the sadness, dread and despair at all that had happened. His mate had been taken, as had Monique's mate and the leader of the Lear's tribe who was also Sapphire's half-brother and a relative to Mercury and his three daughters, and the former patriarch had been killed, fatally wounded by the lead bat according to one of the green macaws who had witnessed Valentino's deathblow. While Uranus and the others wept for the loss of Valentino and also the others that were kidnapped, Rosa awoke from her unconscious brought on by a blow to the head. As she opened her eyes, she noticed an odd sensation around her head. But then someone spoke.

"Rosa!" said a male voice in relief. Aramis's voice and he, Ash, Titania and Oberon who had also come with the former two to see Rosa, stood around her. With the four were Amelia, the scoremarker for the green tribe's Pit of Games team, and two of the team players for the Lear's team, Daysi and Violeta (not Violeta the matriarch of the nearly-destroyed Bluewing Clan). Rosa, her eyes on the seven macaws standing around her, then raised a wing to where she had been struck and felt something plant-like. A large leaf had been wrapped around her head like how humans wrapped bandages over certain head injuries of their casualties.

"What happened?" asked Rosa, "And where are Clemont and Serena?"

"Clemont and Rosa had left to warn the blue-and-gold macaws," said Ash, "But they requested that you stay here form your safety while they see to the task."

"Clemont told us to look after you," said Daysi.

"What happened?" asked Rosa again.

"You were struck on the head by one of those pesky flying foxes with a stick;" said Amelia, "Ash and your boyfriend saw it happen."

Rosa, at this, lowered her head back into a pillow of soft moss. "Ugh, the last thing I can remember was that flying fox hovering with this stick and then the next thing I knew, I felt absolutely dazed before passing out."

"The impact had left a large bruise on the side of your head," said Daysi, "It's a good job it wasn't anything worse…"

"You were very lucky it wasn't a concussion or something," said Oberon. When the others apart from Titania shot him a confused look at this human term, Oberon explained it.

"A type of head injury," he said. Violeta the Lear's macaw then turned round and put her wings on the back of her head, a frustrated look on her face while Rosa just sighed.

"I can't believe what has happened to the blue-throated macaws and the Bluewing hyacinth macaws," said Violeta in disgust, turning back round to face the others. "You should have seen the green tribe matriarch, Verde. She had been absolutely furious on the way back from that partially successful rescue."

"I'm not surprised," said Aramis in agreement, "It obviously means that those two deranged colony leaders had not listened to our warnings."

"Absolutely," said Daysi. Rosa only sighed and slumped into her moss bed, her eyes gazing at the dash of green from the large leaf encircling her head. She could not believe what was happening to the Sanctuary de Amazon.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23- the final leaf**

 **Later**

Clemont and Serena, their entire plumage covered in brown mud once again, had made it to the blue-and-gold macaws' territory and had repeated their warnings to Soleado and Zoie about what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws and the new method the flying foxes had come up with to kidnap macaws and other birds for interrogation. While this was going on, Mimas, Tethys, Dione, Titan and Iapetus, together with their friends Porthos, Brooke and Bastian and Kiawe and Mariposa from the blue-headed macaw group who had evacuated to the blue-and-gold tribe's home patch with the other small resident groups, were flying through the trees of the blue-and-gold macaws' home patch, heading for their homes.

Titan's injured talon was healing and the tooth marks in the skin had healed. Luckily, the puncture marks had not become infected for they had been cleansed thoroughly by the tribe nurses, and the minor injuries borne by Dione and Porthos had also healed. Dione herself had also recovered from the shock of the ordeal yesterday when one of the bats almost took her, but she was still shaky. Since the incident yesterday, she had been too afraid to go out alone and preferred company, most of all her brothers and sisters and boyfriend Porthos, by her side. The eight were worried about their friends and also Enceladus and Rhea and Mimas especially missed Ganymede.

"I wonder how Enceladus is doing in the Bluewing Clan's territory with his hyacinth girlfriend," said Mimas worriedly. She especially envied Enceladus that he had been allowed to see his hyacinth girlfriend Trixie while she had been forbidden from seeing her scarlet macaw boyfriend Ganymede and Tethys forbidden from seeing Oberon, her great green boyfriend. However, it was for the safety of the group, especially after what almost happened to Dione yesterday, along with Spock, Tiago and Lavender and Saturn and Orquidea did not want to risk losing Dione or any of her siblings, certainly not to a bunch of psychopathic flying mammals. Kiawe wore a worried facial expression.

"We haven't seen any of our friends since the ban had been put in place," he said, "I would really love to visit Carla and her siblings but…"

"You're not able to?" asked Porthos, finishing Kiawe's sentence. Kiawe replied with a silent nod. Then Porthos sighed. "Come to think of it, I wonder how Athos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan are doping," he said as thoughts of his three 'brothers' (though Porthos, Aramis, Athos and Squaw'tagnan were each different species, they still viewed each other as siblings similar to how Jupiter and his group did during their time as pets and beyond) passed through his mind. "I also hope they are alright as well; them and their other halves."

He thought about Squaw'tagnan with Phoebe, Athos with Callisto and Aramis with Miranda.

"I'm sure they are," said Brooke in a perkier voice, hoping to lift the others' spirits, "They are aware of the dangers the flying foxes present and know to steer clear of them."

"But what if those deranged flying dog-faced mammals intend to kidnap them?" asked Mariposa with a questioning look on her face. Brooke did not reply for she could not select an answer.

"Seriously, Brooke," said Mariposa, a nod to Dione, "Based on what almost happened to her here, and also Tiago, Spock and Lavender, it seems that those bats aren't gonna take no for an answer."

Dione was about to reply when suddenly, the group heard the sounds of enraged shouting. As they entered the blue-and-gold tribe's home grove, a familiar voice reached their ears. Bastian recognised the voice's owner.

"Do you guys hear our tribe leader Soleado," he said to the others, "He sounds very upset."

"More like absolutely furious," said Iapetus. Titan, who flew at the front, slowed down and began to listen. The others also slowed down and cocked their ears to listen as well.

"Then that means our border to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory is gonna have to be off limits! What IS WRONG with that SCARFACED LEADER of THEIRS!? WE HAD SENT HIM AND HIS MATE A STRONG WARNING TO CALL OF HIS BATS' INTRUSIONS AND INSTEAD THEY THROW IT BACK IN OUR FACES BY DRIVING OUT THOSE TWO CLANS AND TAKING OVER THEIR LAND!?"

That was definitely Soleado's voice and he had never sounded so angry. In fact he was so furious that his voice, which sounded like the crashing of an enormous tree being felled by loggers, went echoing around the entire home grove of the blue-and-gold tribe. Many blue and yellow heads with green foreheads, and white masks or eye patches of skin in many, even peered out from some of the trees, stunned at their patriarch's immense fury. Tethys and Dione cowered behind Brooke, Bastian, Porthos and Iapetus, frightened by Soleado's rage. Then the group continued flying on until the familiar forms of Soleado and Zoie perched on a branch appeared with some more forms standing around them. Among the small group were Saturn and Orquidea and two brown forms with crests.

"Two of Uncle Travis and Aunt Sunset's offspring or Clemont and Serena," said Titan in wonder, "What are they doing here?"

"Wait, I think they're the two friends of Eustace, Milo and Rosa, Clemont and Serena," said Mariposa as she recognised the colours of the birds' crest feathers. Though the two cockatoos' bodies were covered with mud, the mud on their crests and faces must have been wiped away so that the blue-and-gold macaws could recognise them. One had a brilliantly deep yellow-orange crest, a characteristic of a citron-crested cockatoo while the other mud-covered cockatoo's crest feathers were yellow, indicative of a pure sulfur-crested. Then Kiawe saw that the pair was trembling like leaves.

"Well, those two are certainly frightened by your patriarch's fiery wrath," said Kiawe, commenting on the two cockatoos' shuddering bodies, "Look at them both shake like that."

"Soleado very rarely gets this angry," murmured Bastian darkly, "But when he's especially furious, often everyone steers clear of him."

It was true. Soleado very rarely lost his temper for he was often a cheerful and friendly macaw with a sunny smile (his name meant 'sunny' in Spanish). However, he sometimes did express behaviours or emotions that were normally out of character for him, such as fury or having an outburst. Right now, he was having one such explosive bout of rage. Then Kiawe saw two of the blue-and-gold macaws rocket away, one of them sobbing. When he recognised the two of them, he drew in a sharp gasp.

"Er… Mimas, Tethys, Dione, Titan, Iapetus," he murmured, "I think your parents are…"

At this, the said five macaws followed the young male blue-headed macaw's point and saw their parents, Saturn and Orquidea, rush away, the latter sobbing her eyes out and the former shouting at her to calm down. Then Porthos had an idea.

"Let's clarify what's going on," he said.

"But Porthos," said Brooke, "You don't want to be anywhere near our patriarch while he's furious."

"It's not Soleado I want to talk to," said Porthos as he flew off. The others exchanged glances and followed. As the group approached, they were met by the two mud-covered cockatoos who were indeed Clemont and Serena. The two indeed looked very frightened and shaken, and were trembling. When the male citron-crested boyfriend of Rosa and the female pure sulfur-crested girlfriend of Eustace turned and saw Titan and company as they touched down near the two, they flinched, alarmed but then as recognition set in, they calmed down.

"Clemont, Serena," said Titan.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Mimas. Clemont gave the two as well as Mariposa, Kiawe, Tethys, Dione, Iapetus, Brooke, Porthos and Bastian a timid and upset look.

"We've just explained to the blue-and-gold tribe patriarch and matriarch what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws," he murmured. The ten exchanged glances.

"What's happened to those two clans?" asked Kiawe. Serena gave him a saddened look.

"They've been brutally driven out by those flying foxes," she said, "When we told that to Soleado over there," she nodded to the still-enraged blue-and-gold tribe patriarch, "He just suddenly exploded."

"And that's not all," added Clemont, "Uncle Saturn and Aunt Orquidea had just left very upset since Enceladus is still with the Bluewing hyacinth macaws spending a week with his hyacinth girlfriend Trixie…"

When Mimas, Titan, Iapetus, Dione and Tethys's ears picked these words up and absorbed them, their faces fell as dread began to boil within them. Brooke, Bastian and Porthos, and Kiawe and Mariposa also stood there, beaks agape and eyes inflated by horror which rendered them utterly speechless. Then tears began to well in the eyes of the ten macaws, especially the eight blue-and-gold macaws.

"Why, that's the SECOND time our family has faced the brunt of those bats' brutality," cried Titan, "First us with Rhea suffering a dislocated wing, and now Enceladus."

"You know what that means?" added Mimas, tears falling from her eyes.

"Not to mention Aunt Ceres and her family," put in Iapetus. Clemont and Serena said nothing at first but Serena managed to bring up the courage to try and comfort the distraught group.

"I'm… I'm so sorry, Mimas, Titan…" she began, a wing reaching gently out towards the breaking down group but Titan retorted at her.

"Don't bother comforting us!" he barked, making Serena flinch, taken aback by her blue-and-gold 'cousin's' reaction and to the surprise of the others. Titan then stepped back, tears spilling from his eyes and sobs from his throat. Overcome with devastation and anguish, Titan spread his wings and rocketed off. Mimas, Tethys, Dione and Iapetus followed. Brooke shot Clemont and Serena a look.

"Their parents are gonna be going through a stormy tunnel now that you've delivered the news, you two," she murmured.

"Not to mention Enceladus's siblings," put in Porthos.

"And if this reaches the ears of Rhea who is still in the hospital," added Bastian, "It's gonna hit her hard when she hears what has happened to her brother."

Clemont and Serena gazed back at the three blue-and-gold macaws in confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Clemont.

"Well, if you think about it," said Mariposa, "The chances of any bird from a tribe or clan surviving a savage attack and driving out from those barbaric furballs are incredibly slim. Think how so few red-fronted macaws from their clan had survived such an attack."

Clemont and Serena said nothing. They knew of the violent history the flying foxes had in driving out other bird tribes and clans and other avian residents to take their land. Then as Brooke, Porthos and Bastian opened their wings to take off after Titan and his four remaining siblings, Kiawe and Mariposa approached the two cockatoos when Kiawe turned his attention to Zoie, Soleado's mate, as she talked with some of the macaws from the blue-and-gold tribe's inner circle. The group clearly looked in despair and devastated, and Zoie, like her mate, was absolutely furious. Mariposa listened and heard that they were also discussing about what are they going to do now regarding the new method the flying foxes had discovered in kidnapping macaws and other birds for interrogation. Then Clemont felt a wave of guilt splash over him.

"I really wish we hadn't told them the devastating news about the blue-throated macaws and Bluewing Clan now," he murmured. Serena hummed in agreement.

"No, you've done the right thing, you two," said Mariposa, a comforting wing on Clemont's shoulder.

"If you hadn't told the blue-and-gold macaw tribe about this, we wouldn't have been aware of what had happened," said Kiawe. He then turned his head to one side in wonder. "By the way, how did you two know about what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws?"

"And also about this 'new method/ the flying foxes had discovered in kidnapping birds for interrogation?" asked Mariposa.

"We overheard three of the flying foxes discuss these near the entrance to an underground cave," said Clemont.

"Oh, no, you should steer clear of those bats, they're savage brutes," said Kiawe.

"They detest birds and will not hesitate to kill you on the spot," added Mariposa.

"No, those bats were completely unaware that we were in that cave," said Serena. Just then a voice called their names. At this, Clemont and Serena, together with Mariposa and Kiawe, turned to face three young blue-and-gold macaws approach them. They were a young adult male and a pair of younger macaws, one male and the other female. They were the offspring of Soleado and Zoie: Tobias, the oldest male, and his siblings Amarillo and Bromelia. Clemont stepped forward and bowed his head in shame.

"We're sorry to have enraged your parents, Tobias," he murmured. Tobias, however, shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Clemont," said Tobias in a gruff but assuring voice, "it's them wretched flying dog-faced fiends that are angering our parents, not you."

"But to hear what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws," said Bromelia, "And everyone else living in that neighbouring territory, it's been devastating news."

"There's no way over half of such a small clan, much less two, could survive such a savage attack since those furballs are often extremely violent and brutal when they drive out a bird tribe or clan," said Amarillo. Clemont, Serena, Kiawe and Mariposa gazed back at the three in agreement. Then Tobias turned his attention in the direction of Titan and his four remaining siblings and sighed.

"Titan and his family are gonna be struggling immensely in the coming days, I think," he said, "After hearing what had happened to Enceladus."

"There's no way he could have survived that attack from the flying foxes," said Bromelia. Clemont and Serena hated to admit but Tobias and Bromelia were right. It was going to be a difficult time for Saturn and his family. The devastation of Enceladus's (apparent) death and also that of Ceres, Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio, Desdemona and Lucy and the others in the tragedy that had occurred last night had torn their hearts into two. However, there were other negative emotions thrown into the mix as well and there was a high possibility that fissures were going to violently open in Saturn's family and rip it apart.

 **Meanwhile**

Cicatriz and Iracebeth were attending the fighting classes with some other parents, watching their two offspring, Iago and his younger sister Veruca as they mercilessly battered a bird dummy made of fruit and seeds with their claws and small sharp-sticks suitable for their size. The training class was taking place in the home groves that used to belong to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws which the bats had captured last night. After their triumph in driving out the two clans and the other bird residents, the invaders celebrated for hours until sunrise and had slept in. While the invaders celebrated word had been sent out to the colony and dozens of flying foxes had moved in to make themselves at home in the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' trees. As for the slain macaws, mostly the hyacinth macaws from the Bluewing Clan, the bats were considering on what to do with them. In the meantime, the flying foxes continued to make their newly captured land their home and prepare for the next stage of their plans.

The driving out of the Blue-throated macaws and the Bluewings had not been without costs on the flying foxes' side, though. During the brutal fight against the two clans last night, many of the invading flying foxes had been badly injured and some had suffered torn wing membranes, and there had been around half a dozen or more fatalities. Obviously, combating macaws that were bigger than they were was the most difficult task for the flying foxes but in the end, the flying foxes had managed to force out the Bluewing Clan from their habitat. The blue-throated macaws on the other hand, had fled in terror for the flying foxes were much bigger than they were, so they had been relatively easy to drive out, and a lot of the macaws had managed to escape. However, the reason why so many blue-throated macaws had managed to survive and successfully flee with their lives was because of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws' effort in protecting these extremely rare birds. Demetrio had ordered the hyacinth macaws to fight back against the flying foxes in order to protect the smaller and more vulnerable blue-throated macaws and buy them time to escape the invading bats. Thus if it weren't for the hyacinth macaws' presence, the entire blue-throated macaw clan would have probably all been slaughtered. However, the Bluewing Clan had paid an incredibly high price in protecting the very rare blue-throated macaws and around three-quarters of the macaws had died in the slaughter, slain by the bats and their feathers harvested by their killers for their trophies.

The two colony leaders smiled with evil delight as Veruca, effort grunts exploding from her mouth, slashed her claws over the dummy bird's back before impaling it with her sharp-stick while nearby, Iago battered his dummy bird with his claws, teeth and his sharp-stick. As soon as Veruca and Iago had finished their practice fights with the dummies and had stood back, leaving two tattered and mauled fruit that represented the bats' feathered opponents, the clapping of numerous membranous wings filled the air as Veruca and Iago's classmates and parents, as well as their teacher, applauded them.

"Well done, you two," said the teacher, a brown male with paler brown fur on his front, "Your fighting skills are improving."

"We'll make warriors out of you both yet," said Cicatriz.

"You're just like your father," said Iracebeth. Veruca and Iago stood there, proud smiles wickedly adorning their faces.

"You'll soon be facing real birds sooner or later and before long, you'll be earning your first trophies," said another bat. Veruca and Iago continued standing there, relishing the applause of their classmates, their parents, teacher and the other bats. Later, Cicatriz, Iracebeth, Iago and Veruca were back in their hollow on the flying fox colony's original land. Cicatriz looked over his prized possession, the sharp-stick that belonged to his late father, Bruto while Iracebeth fed Veruca and Iago with some of the fruit she had collected from a grove on the Bluewing Clan's territory.

"You know, I have a feeling that our son and daughter might have their grandfather's blood in their veins," Cicatriz said to Iracebeth proudly. "They certainly do seem to fight very well."

"Well, only time will tell when they go out to face their first real avian opponent, dear," said Iracebeth as she patted Veruca on her head. Veruca and Iago then greedily shoved their fruit down their throats. Leaving her son and daughter to eat, Iracebeth walked over to Cicatriz, a frown on her face.

"Your father and mother certainly were excellent fighters," she said, "And you indeed have taken after them but it seems that your younger brother, Augustus, hasn't. Either that or he's too cowardly to show his skills."

Cicatriz turned to her with an agreeing frown on his face. "Tell me about it, my beloved Iracebeth," he growled in irritation, "I could never get why my brother refused to participate in those fighting classes when we were pups," he shook his head and gazed out of one of the windows (smaller holes in the hollow wall), "I believe he'd have grown up into great fighter but all he's done is thrown that away. He's a disgrace to his family."

"There's obviously something wrong with him and his family, I can tell you," Iracebeth said with a sigh. "I remember your father saying how hopeless Augustus was at one point when our generation reached the border of young adulthood."

Cicatriz nodded in agreement. Cicatriz and Iracebeth could not understand Augustus at all. Ever since he was a pup, Augustus had found the fighting classes as well as the teaching that all Amazon birds were vermin and deserve to be driven out of their homes so that their land could be taken over by the bats utterly repulsive, much to the disapproval of Bruto and Sombra, and as he and Cicatriz grew up Augustus's views and disagreements had grown stronger, despite how much the anti-bird teachings were drilled into his brain. Unlike most of the other flying foxes, Augustus had sympathy for the bird tribes and clans but he was not the only flying fox in the colony disagreed with the anti-bird teachings. His mate Melissa shared these views which she had developed as a pup as well, and so had her cousin, Lily, and two friends Marcus and Ana. These views had created a rift between Augustus and his family and most of the other bats and he had been bullied and mocked by his classmates because of his refusal to fight the dummy birds. His classmates often called Augustus a coward, and he had faced this throughout his life. Any flying fox who disagreed with the anti-bird teachings and found the driving out of bird groups repulsive were always viewed as cowards and weaklings, and Melissa was no exception. She too had faced constant bullying as she grew up. At one point, Bruto and Sombra had referred to Augustus as a 'hopeless case' and a 'shame to his family'. When Augustus had reached adolescence, he left his hollow and his family to live with the other flying foxes who were against the anti-bird teachings.

Then when Augustus and Melissa had paired up, became mates and had Sebastian, they home-schooled their son and taught him the basics of jungle survival, including self-defence against certain predators such as snakes in the event he got caught in the grips of one. However, Sebastian had attended the fighting classes several times when he was younger but instead of feeling thrilled with fighting the bird dummies like his cousins Iago and Veruca, he found them incredibly repulsive much like his parents. As for twin daughters Stella and Luna, they had never attended any of the fighting classes at all for Augustus and Melissa had prevented them from doing so, much to the disapproval and chagrin of Cicatriz and Iracebeth. Cicatriz and Iracebeth were well aware that Augustus and Melissa were not teaching their son and two daughters the colony's anti-bird teachings, but they were also aware that some of the other flying fox colony members were against the teachings about birds, the fighting classes and also the driving out of bird tribes and clans like Augustus and his family. In fact, some of these flying foxes' views against the anti-bird teachings and their disgust of seeing the bird groups get brutally driven out, as well as the brutality inflicted on them during the process, were so intense that some of them had even gone as far as helping certain bird groups and protecting them from the colony. Three of these, Melissa's late albino cousin, Lily and her two friends Marcus and Ana had done just that. However, they had faced dire consequences eventually.

Lily, Marcus and Ana had kept dozens and dozens and dozens of birds, some extremely rare species, hidden in a secret spot away from the colony and always went to meet those birds in secret to help provide for them and protect them. Furthermore, Lily herself had been a close friend of some chicks and adult birds when she was young. She had been rescued by those birds from a poacher's trap and since then, she had befriended them. This unlikely friendship had intensified and concentrated Lily's hatred of the flying fox colony's anti-bird teachings, eventually leading her to rebel against her own colony to help as many birds as she could. Lily's secret hiding of birds had only been known to Augustus and Melissa and eventually Sebastian, Stella and Luna when they were old enough to know and understand. But then, something tragic happened which resulted in the death of Lily. Somehow, Lily's hiding place had been discovered by some of Cicatriz's spies and the secret was uncovered to the entire colony. Lily had subsequently been seized and then brought before Cicatriz and Iracebeth and the rest of the colony to be confronted and interrogated about her allegiance with the birds, and the reasons why. When Lily openly and boldly spoke against the colony's teaching about the birds of the Amazon being vermin that deserve to be driven out, among a deeper reason, Cicatriz had her violently put to death, in front of most of the bats. Augustus and Melissa had not been there at the time for they had been busy with Sebastian but when they had heard the news from a friend of theirs, another flying fox who was against the colony's anti-bird teachings; Melissa had been totally devastated and heartbroken, and had suffered extreme sadness for the following months. Since then, Augustus and his family and the others against the colony's teachings as well had kept their views a complete secret. As for Marcus and Ana and the birds in hiding, they had mysteriously disappeared during Lily's capture.

While Cicatriz went over these memories of Lily's violent death in front of the colony because of her hiding of birds and her revulsion of the anti-bird teachings, a knock on the hollow entrance snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Someone's at the entrance, dear," said Iracebeth.

"Enter," called Cicatriz. In response, three bats stepped in. One of them was Shinzon and he was flanked by two muscular males, both with scars splashing through their pelages.

"Ah, Shinzon, I believe you have some good news for us?" said Cicatriz to the smaller male.

"We do, yes," Shinzon replied, "We have managed to capture some birds and bring them back here for interrogation without too much trouble."

"Ratigan's idea on using that plant has worked like a dream," said one of the large, muscular males.

"Or from those feathered worms' perspective, a nightmare," grinned the other muscular male.

"Oh, and which ones have you managed to capture?" asked Iracebeth.

"Three Spix macaws," said Shinzon, "Around four green macaws and three Lear's macaws. Our group-mates are taking them to the Interrogation Patch now."

"The only birds we now need is some red macaws," said one of the muscular males, "Some blue-and-gold macaws, some glaucous macaws and perhaps a hyacinth macaw or two from the Navyfeather Clan, and some of those four-winged long tailed-birds."

"And possibly some of the birds from the smaller groups as well," said Shinzon. Cicatriz and Iracebeth smiled evilly.

"That's brilliant," said Cicatriz, "And make sure you get a few of them. We're gonna need enough victims to extract the information about their tribes, clans and groups, their habitat and why their land has not seen logging for years among some other things."

"Yes, as some of them might be stubborn as coconut shells," said Iracebeth.

"You've done well, Shinzon," said Cicatriz, "Keep up the good work and tell that to the other kidnappers who had participated in capturing those birds."

Shinzon nodded and turned to leave the hollow, his two larger companions following him. After the trio had gone, Cicatriz's smile widened even more.

"I can't wait to interrogate those worthless bundles of feathers," he crooned sadistically. It was clear that Cicatriz did not only enjoy driving out bird groups but also the interrogation process as well.

"Well, soon we'll have the information we need to drive out the next tribe or clan, dear," said Iracebeth. Nearby, Veruca and Iago had finished their meal.

"Which ones are you planning to drive out next?" asked Iracebeth.

"Probably the Lear's macaws," said Cicatriz, "Or perhaps them blue-and-gold macaws but we'll see how we go first."

Iracebeth nodded in agreement. Outside the hollow, a small white furry form hung outside one of the smaller holes and had been listening to the whole thing. Horrified, the form dropped from the tree and flew away.

 **The red tribe's home patch**

Diantha and Milo flinched harshly as Felipe screeched, "WHAAAT!?". With them were Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos, and Gabrielle, and also Pearl, Benjamin and Regina. Alexandre, the brother of Phobos, Deimos and Gabrielle, and Alfonso, the brother of Benjamin and Regina were out with their friends helping to forage and bring back food, together with Estelle, Sheldon, Byron, Athos, Io and Europa while Ganymede and Callisto stayed behind to help raise their younger siblings, Amalthea and Oliver with Jupiter who was back at their hollow. Ruby, meanwhile, was helping the evacuated smaller bird groups.

Like how Soleado had reacted to the horrifying news of both the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' loss of their home to the flying foxes and the bats' new method in kidnapping some birds for interrogation as delivered by Clemont and Serena, Felipe and the others around him were horrified and enraged, especially Felipe, when Diantha and Milo (disguised in mud but with their faces revealed for recognition) at the same things. The keel-billed/toco hybrid toucan and sulfur-crested/Major Mitchell's hybrid cockatoo backed away as Felipe furiously threw a stick at a branch in rage, venting his fury. Mars also kept his family away from the red tribe patriarch while Pearl kept Regina and Benjamin away from their father as he continued ranting. While Felipe continued to unleash his fury, flying to a clearing to do that so that no-one was accidentally drawn into his outburst, Mars turned to Diantha and Milo.

"It's not true what you said isn't it?" he asked, hoping that it was just fabricated. "Tell us it's not true."

However, Milo and Diantha's faces read honesty. "It's true," said Milo sadly. At this, Chiquitita and Pearl, devastated looks on their faces, shook their heads while Mars looked on, horrified. Gabrielle squirmed in her mother's wings while Phobos, Deimos, Benjamin and Regina said nothing. Then Benjamin began to release a despairing groan as thoughts for his non-red macaw friends, in particular his green macaw girlfriend, Umbriel came to mind. Benjamin and Ganymede had been missing their other halves, Umbriel and Mimas, dearly since the ban on them leaving the home grove had been put in place after what had almost happened to Mars and also to Dione, Tiago, Spock and Lavender, and the tribe and clans leaders had hoped that expanding their foraging and patrol groups to three times their usual size would help fend off the attacking flying foxes but now that seemed futile.

"What are we gonna do, Pearl?" asked Chiquitita mournfully.

"I don't know, Chiq," said Pearl sadly, much to Chiquitita's immense heartbreak. Then a thought came to Mars's head.

"Wait, Tito's foraging group," he said, "One of our sons is with them, as are two of Jupiter and Ruby's daughters and some of their friends."

"And Athos as well," put in Benjamin, his grief over not being able to see his great green macaw girlfriend briefly forgotten. Just then, Felipe returned after releasing the pressure of anger.

"Sorry about this, guys," he said to the others, "But I didn't want to catch anyone in my wrathful outburst."

But then the look of rage returned as he gazed at Diantha and Milo, but at the same time he was thankful.

"Well, I'd like to thank you both for letting us know, you two," he said, "But I think this is the final leaf. Those bats have really crossed the line and now, it's time for war."

"Final leaf?" asked Diantha confused.

"We sent Cicatriz and Iracebeth a strong warning to call off their bats' intrusions," explained Pearl, "And I think the other tribe and clan leaders will have done the same as well but based on what you've told us, it is obviously clear that they had not listened to us and instead drove out two of our neighbouring clans."

"Not to mention come up with a horribly insidious new method in kidnapping some of us for information," added Mars, "using some sort of tranquiliser-like plant and porcupine spines to knock out their victims to take away without them fighting back…"

"It was our last peaceful shot," said Pearl.

"We're now at a loss," said Felipe with a frown, "That's why I was so furious." He then looked around. "And I wouldn't be surprised if the leaders of the other tribes and clans are furious about this as well."

"It seems that every time we find a solution, the flying foxes seem to find a way around it," said Pearl. She then made a disgusted face. "Honestly, those winged furballs are sly and crafty menaces."

"Sly and crafty indeed," hissed Mars. "It's a good job those bats that attacked me did not have that tranquiliser-plant on them, otherwise I'd have been knocked out, rendered defenceless and then carried out into flying fox territory without a doubt."

"Or even a chance to fight back," said Chiquitita. Mars nodded in agreement. Just then, a shout echoed across the grove air, aiming for Felipe and Pearl.

"FELIPE, PEARL!"

At this, the scarlet leaders turned in the shouter's direction and, to their surprise, they saw Tito rocket in. His eyes were glazed with terror and his feathers were puffed out. As the scarlet macaw clumsily landed onto a perch and began to catch his breath, Pearl went over to him.

"Whoa, Tito, easy," she said. Tito shot her a horrified gaze as Felipe walked in.

"How is your foraging group?" he asked. Tito gazed at him. When Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Benjamin and Regina, Diantha and Milo saw the look on Tito's face, they felt dread come over them.

"No, don't be what Diantha and Milo have just mentioned…" began Mars quietly. However, that hope fell flat when Tito managed to get the words out.

"We've been violently jumped by a group of flying foxes," he blurted out. At this, Felipe and Pearl looked at each other in horror before turning back to Tito.

"Are they on their way back?" asked Felipe, his temper threatening to erupt again. Tito nodded.

 **A while later**

Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos sat perched among a sea of red, blue, green, teal and yellow, looking on in horror as Tito's foraging group returned. They had left Gabrielle with a babysitter before coming here. As the crowd of horrified scarlet and green-winged macaws looked on, the group of foragers, around thirty in all, entered the home grove of the red tribe. Many of them were bedraggled and had scratches, bald patches and bruises and several of the macaws were limp, but they were not dead. Those limp macaws were being carried by their companions who weren't too badly injured, alongside the more seriously injured macaws. Felipe and Pearl, together with Tito, Regina and Benjamin, guided the group towards the infirmary trees. Mars continued scanning the struggling group as they lighted down near the infirmary tree until his eyes landed on some familiar macaws. At this, he opened his wings and took off from the crowd, Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos following.

"Alexandre, Io, Europa, Sheldon," Mars called, "Estelle, Byron!"

The six said macaws gazed wearily at him as he touched down before them. Mars then began to examine the injuries of the macaws and what he saw horrified him greatly.

Io bore a bleeding cut on her brow and her ruby red plumage was dotted with bald patches. Her left wing was missing some flight feathers and most of her flower-like crest had gone with only two feathers dangling like tattered leaves from her crown. Io looked in pain and appeared badly shaken. Europa did not look as bedraggled but she was trembling like a leaf. Her worst injury was a cut on her shoulder and her right eye was surrounded by a black-purple smear totally enclosing her entire eye. Alexandre, Estelle, Byron and Sheldon were covered with cuts, bruises and bald patches and Estelle was limping, her left talon wounded. All four, however, bore the same looks of trauma and fright and their tattered plumages were bushed out. The sight of the six bedraggled macaws alarmed Mars and Chiquitita, and Phobos and Deimos, and also Milo and Diantha who had also come to witness the entry of the battered foraging group. Then Mars, his mate and two sons were made aware of the sounds of wing flaps. At this, they turned and saw Jupiter, Ruby, Ganymede and Callisto rush in. when they saw the state of the group, especially Io and Europa, they darted in.

"Io, Europa," cried Jupiter, "Look at the state of you! What happened?"

Mars and Chiquitita then began to fuss over Alexandre while Ramon and Dani, the parents of Sheldon, began to fuss over their hybrid son.

"What does it look like?" snapped Io bitterly. She then winced from the pain in her injuries. Jupiter and Ruby then stood back as Felipe and Pearl, together with Benjamin and Regina, walked in. Nearby, the other foragers were being helped into the infirmary by the red tribe nurses. It was then that Pearl noticed someone missing.

"Wait, where are Athos and Alfonso?" asked she. At this, sombre looks formed on the faces of the six macaws as another forager, a male green-winged macaw named Carlo, limped in to explain.

"I'm afraid Alfonso, along with three others, had been taken," he murmured sadly. When the crowd heard this, they drew in horrified gasps, while Pearl, Felipe, Regina and Benjamin's faces fell in horror.

"And what happened to Athos?" asked Jupiter, Ruby Callisto and Ganymede flanking him. Byron then walked in.

"He's been badly injured when trying to rescue one of the kidnapped macaws," he said, "A flying fox had tackled him away from the kidnapper and deliberately crashed him into a rock and then a patch of thorns."

This made many of the macaws wince. Callisto especially drew in a horrified gasp.

"Athos suffered a broken foot from the impact against the rock and numerous scratches from the thorn bush in the process," said Io, "We had to take him to the animal hospital but… two other macaws had not been as fortunate."

Then before Felipe could ask why or how, Alexandre answered the question.

"They were stabbed by two flying foxes while they tried rescuing Alfonso who had gone limp," he said. He then produced a stiff twig coated with some sort of green paste. Felipe, at this, took it and began to examine it.

"That was also involved," said Alexandre, before nodding to the unconscious macaws, "Apparently, those darts have powerful knockout properties or have been coated with a substance with those properties. All of the unconscious birds have been struck at least one of those."

"It's a porcupine spine," said Jupiter when he recognised the stiff brown twig. When Diantha and Milo's ears picked it up, they mouthed it under their breaths as it brought back something; what the three bats had said before they and Eustace's group had scattered to deliver the warnings to the tribes and clans. There was subsequent silence hanging over Felipe, Pearl, Regina and Benjamin at first but then finally, Felipe broke it, his temper exploding once again. Alfonso was one of his sons.

"Those bats are as good as dead then," he snarled and with that, he took off to have another outburst. A furious look also appeared on Pearl's face.

"We're gonna declare war on those flying furballs," she said. "This is DEFINITELY the last leaf."

And with that, she stormed off, leaving Benjamin and Regina to look on, devastated over what had happened to their brother. Then Jupiter came in.

"Well, I think it's time we got you lot into the infirmary," he said firmly, "Especially you, Io and Europa. Those injuries need treatment."

Io and Europa sighed and obeyed their father's orders. Alexandre, with Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos and Deimos around him, followed with Sheldon (who had been too devastated to speak), Byron and Estelle close behind. As the foraging group entered the infirmary trees, Diantha and Milo stood there, speechless before Ganymede and Callisto came up to them, dreaded looks on their faces.

"We've come to a dead end now," murmured Ganymede worriedly. Diantha and Milo said nothing. Callisto then made a scowl.

"Well, I'd like to see my boyfriend in the hospital," she said, "Since he had been injured while I and Ganymede had been taking care of Oliver and Amalthea with Dad."

"But Callisto, that is NOT a wise idea," said Milo, "There are dozens of flying fox groups out there and if they see you…"

Callisto, however, ignored Milo and flew away. Ganymede followed but not before shooting the cockatoo and the toucan a glare as he left.

"I agree with Aunt Pearl, you two," he growled, "This IS the final leaf. How dare those flying furred beasts do this to one of our cousins!"

He then shot Regina and Benjamin a sympathetic look before flying after his sister. Diantha and Milo then gazed at each other, saddened looks on their faces.

"This can't be happening, Diantha, honestly," murmured Milo.

"Indeed not," said Diantha.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24- a visit to the animal hospital**

 **Some time later**

The sun was hovering at the midpoint between its point of setting in the western horizon and its midday point. Animals of the rainforest continued going about their daily business while the bird tribes, clans and groups had set to discussing plans of action against the flying fox threat. In fact, some of the macaws from the Spix, the blue-and-gold, the Lear's, the glaucous and the red tribes and the Navyfeather Clan and also the smaller bird groups, among them the leaders, had flown over to Alonso's tribe's home patch to discuss plans of action with him for Alonso had invited them to have a meeting in his home patch for it was too unsafe to meet at the Meeting Tree due to the flying foxes flying about. During this, some macaws had decided to go to the animal hospital to visit the casualties, those that had been injured by the flying foxes from yesterday. This group of macaws was a mixture of Spix, red, and green, Lear's and blue-and-gold macaws. The Spix macaws were Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira accompanied by an older male macaw named Rolando, a friend of Blu and Jewel and Roberto who had been commanded by the former two to keep an eye on the four, while the red macaws were Jupiter and Callisto and the blue-and-gold macaws were Mimas, Iapetus and Porthos accompanied by Ignacio, the captain of the Pit of Games team for the blue-and-golds. Squaw'tagnan and Phoebe from the Lear's macaw tribe and Miranda and Aramis from the green tribe were also present. All the macaws were covered in mud to conceal their brightly coloured plumages for safety. As the group flew along, Phoebe was very sad.

"Haven't you guys heard what had happened in the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous tribe's territory?" she told the others, "They've had a violent attack and kidnapping by a group of flying foxes too, resulting in three glaucous macaws and two hyacinth macaws getting taken away. Thankfully, none of the others were too injured to require medical attention at the animal hospital."

"One of them was Lapis Lazuli," murmured Jupiter with dread, "I'd hate to think what nightmare she'll be facing in those furballs' territory."

He shuddered at what ordeal that poor glaucous macaw was to face when she woke up, especially with the deep scar inflicted on her when those bats drove out her tribe when she was young.

"Pluto and his family had been devastated over that," said Callisto, "I've heard that Quincy and Flor had been injured and had to be taken to the animal hospital while Charon, Blueberry, Aiden and Neytiri had been badly shaken."

"Juan, Neytiri's cousin had been killed in the incident when he tried rescuing Aunt Lapis Lazuli," said Phoebe sadly, "Neytiri and eventually her aunt had been utterly devastated."

"Juan is Michelle's only son, isn't he?" said Squaw'tagnan. His face then creased with dread. "Who else is gonna be next on those bats' kill list?"

"I think the question should be," said Callisto, "What's gonna happen next?"

"Well, with the way things are going," said Jupiter, "It's not good, I can tell you."

The others nodded in agreement.

"But on the bright side though, I'm so glad that many of the blue-throated macaws, among them Cobalto and his two sons Wilbur and Aurelio and daughters Desdemona and Lucy are alright despite the obvious injuries they had suffered from the ordeal," said Carla, "Too bad about Ceres and Azul though."

She then breathed a sad sigh over the apparent death of those two macaws.

"And as for Enceladus and Trixie who had been there when the invasion happened, I'm surprised they had managed to survive and help rescue as many as the smaller group bird residents as possible, among them the golden conures," said Bia. Suddenly, a thought hit her and she gazed at Mimas, Iapetus and Porthos and Ignacio. "Oh, do your parents Saturn and Orquidea know about that?" she asked.

"They didn't come with us to the green tribe's home patch," said Ignacio, "They're too depressed to come."

"After hearing what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and Blue-throated macaws and possibly are brother when Clemont and Rosa told us," said Mimas.

"They need to hear that Enceladus is alive then," said Tiago seriously, "Otherwise they're gonna continue to suffer heartbreak."

Ignacio, at this, drew in a sharp gasp. "We'll have to return to the blue-and-gold tribe's territory and let Saturn and Orquidea know after this," he said.

"Then you'd better," said Kira seriously. Jupiter nodded in agreement. Ignacio nodded and made a mental note to do that. Miranda and Aramis sighed.

"I can't believe that Enceladus had managed to survive that nightmare last night," said Miranda, "He must have been so brave."

"We didn't expect those flying furballs to carry out an invasion on the blue-throated macaw clan and Bluewing Clan's territory, anyway," muttered Aramis.

"Based on what that group of Navyfeather Clan hyacinth macaws told us in the green tribe's home grove," said Rolando, "It is a definite confirmation that the cockatoo and his friends weren't lying."

"You mean Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Velocity and Orion?" asked Callisto as she flew nearby and alongside Jupiter.

"Yes, them," said Rolando. Phoebe then sighed.

"I still can't believe that those seven and their toucan friend Diantha had wounded up being dragged into this mess," she said, "This threat is incredibly dangerous, honestly…"

"Rosa got whacked on the side of the head by one of the bats while we were fighting that group that made off with Waldo and several others hours ago," said Aramis, "She's alright now but it could have been worse."

"She'd have suffered a concussion or other head injury," said Bia.

"That's the second time one of Eustace's group members had had a narrow escape from those bats," said Carla with a frown, "First Orion and then Rosa."

"They should have returned to Rio where they'll be safe," said Jupiter in disapproval, "But it seems that they haven't listened."

"I agree," said Ignacio as he flew alongside Porthos, Mimas and Iapetus who said nothing. Then the group resumed flying toward the animal hospital, keeping a close eye on their surroundings and watching for any flash of drab colours or charcoal black through the tree gaps. Rolando and Ignacio were very skilled in self-defence and Jupiter had his experience and strength on his side as well, having learned most of his skills during his time as a pet as well as during the events involving Brutus the cat and Nigel. However, this might not be enough for the flying foxes were cunning and with this newly developed weapon they had at their disposal, they might easily gain the upper wing. Not to mention their size compared to the smaller species of macaws. This was why the group had covered themselves in mud as an extra precaution.

Soon, the large building of the animal hospital came into view.

"Here we are, folks," said Ignacio as he led the way. He then turned to Jupiter. "And since you're familiar with human surroundings and buildings and could read human writing, you'd better take over."

Jupiter nodded and did just that. He led the group to the upper floors of the building and began to look for an open window.

"Remember, we need to be in the birds' area," he said. The others nodded to con firm that they understood.

"I can't wait to see Rhea again," said Mimas as she flew alongside Ignacio, "It may have been over a day but it seems like ages."

"Why do you think we've come here?" asked Iapetus.

"We'll also get to see Sergio, Glimmergem and also Athos as well," said Porthos with a smile, the first one he had had in ages. Mimas and Iapetus also smiled and with that, the three young adult blue-and-gold macaws followed the others and began to fly about the building, in search of the open window into the birds' department on the upper floors.

 **Inside the animal hospital**

Ceres lay in a bed of soft material, resting on her back. She had just come out of surgery and was now in the recovery room, and the sounds of various bird squawks filled her ears. As the blue-throated macaw slowly opened her eyes, she saw a silvery ceiling directly above her. From the edges of the ceiling, silvery bars descended and connected to the bottom part, enclosing Ceres in a cage. As her traumatised brain registered these details, she came to the conclusion that she was in an animal hospital. The Sanctuary de Amazon Animal Hospital to be exact. Then she noticed something else, something wrapping her body and her head, something white. At this, Ceres's eyes slowly travelled to the top of her head and saw a sliver of the white wrapping circling her forehead. Her eyes then travelled to her left wing and saw that it was enclosed in some sort of rigid casting, the same sort Zephyr had after surgery on his broken wing at the paws of the infamous Brutus. Ceres's other wing, which lay spread out to the right, had a thin tube emerge from it. This tube wired out through the bars of the cage and ascended to something attached above. However, Ceres had already deduced what it was for she had seen such clear bags filled with clear liquid before.

'A drip', she thought. She was then made aware of a set of new sounds. Human chatters filled the air, followed by the sound of a metal lock being slid out of its cylindrical counterpart. As a pair of human hands, both covered with sterile plastic gloves, slowly snaked into Ceres's cage and their fingers gently slid under her body followed by the palms which then scooped her off the cage floor and bedding, Ceres drifted off into a whirlwind of memories from the traumatic ordeal from the flying fox attack on her clan and the Bluewings.

 _A huge black cloud of furry mammals with membranous wings decked out in pitch-black war paint with red streaks, weapons such as sharp-sticks in their clutches, came crashing into the home grove of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws, and soon a bloody battle erupted between the hyacinth macaws and the bats._

Horrifying images flashed in Ceres's mind as she underwent a close examination by a team of three bird doctors who checked her injuries. One of them, a man, unwrapped the bandage on Ceres's forehead to have a look at the stitched up wound. Ceres had had a large gash on her forehead, spanning almost her entire brow and that had required stitching. As the man then began to examine the stitched up injury on Ceres's forehead, the horrifying images of the invasion continued to flash in the traumatised macaw's mind. Ceres saw large navy blue bodies drop from the battle cloud made of navy blue feathers, black membranous wings and their owners. She saw sharp-sticks plunging into their victims, blood drops and navy blue feathers flying everywhere from the cloud, shadowy figures with red streaks and eyes glowing menacingly in the moonlight. She also heard the screeches of agony, anguish and terror exploding from dozens of hyacinth macaws, alongside devilish war cries and laughter of sadism from dozens of flying foxes. Next, Ceres saw some black and red streaks charge at the blue-throated macaws, their weapons prepared for gruesome action. Alongside these images, Ceres heard familiar voices flooded with terror, including her own, echo loudly.

" _COBALTO, GET THE GIRLS OUTA HERE!"- Ceres_

" _AZUL!"- Cobalto_

" _DAAAAD!"- Azul_

Blue and yellow streaks then erupted into the night air in Ceres's memories. Then Ceres's mind began to replay the nightmare she herself subsequently faced next.

 _Ceres, terrified, braced herself as a huge swarm of war paint-donning bats rushed towards the fleeing blue-throated macaws, her head in her wings._

" _PROTECT THE BLUE-THROATED MACAWS!"- Demetrio._

 _Then within seconds, the bats were upon the blue-throated macaw clan's home grove. Ceres felt something knock her off the branch and before she knew it, she was falling through the air. Immediately, she spread her wings and slowed her fall into a hover. Confused, Ceres darted her eyes about until she spotted a familiar female macaw, Fernanda as she hovered overhead. Behind her, Fernanda's family were trapped in a small cloud if flying foxes and were slaughtered, much to Fernanda's anguished cry. However, Fernanda heard her father screech to her to flee, which she did. These were the last words Fernanda's dad had managed to get out before a flying fox's mace-like weapon bludgeoned him to death. Ceres and Fernanda then got together and began to try and escape the inferno._

 _The trees and moonlit air was flooded with terrifying nightmarish monsters which were far more frightening than anything Ceres had ever seen. Not even Nigel or Brutus could compare to these. Wherever she and Fernanda looked, they saw terrifying shadow-black forms with gleaming eyes and red streaks, weapons such as sharp-sticks wavering in their feet and teeth showing through their fiendish smiles. Extremely frightened screeches and screams exploded from their beaks as Ceres and Fernanda began to break for the woods. Flapping hard and flying at high speed, Ceres stole a glance behind and saw some of the terrifying monsters fly after her. Screaming, she flew on. Suddenly, something feathery collided with Ceres. At first, the blue-throated macaw screeched but when she saw that it was only Azul, she was relieved. Azul's eyes were laced with extreme terror, the most terror-filled expression he had ever had in his life. When he and Ceres saw the group of shadowy bats fly after them, their black membranous wings sweeping out like ghostly cloaks in the moonlight, Ceres urged Azul on and the two followed Fernanda into the trees. Around the trio, Ceres, Azul and Fernanda flashed terrified glances as several hyacinth macaws who tried to escape more flying foxes were caught and brutally slaughtered. A piercing scream emitting from her beak as she saw a dead hyacinth macaw careen like a stone through the canopy, its killers flying down after it, Ceres rocketed on. Suddenly, she bumped into another form, this time a furry one. Looking up, Ceres got a face-full of the most terrifying glare she had ever seen. Two flying foxes including the one Ceres had bumped into, their fur and wings coated in pitch black with red streaks striping their faces, bodies and wings, their eyes glowing evilly in the moonlight and their weapons hovering in their feet, smiled fiendishly at her, their teeth showing. Flooded with extreme terror, Ceres darted away when she was tackled by a black comet. Ceres was plucked her like a fly from her flight path by the thing and then slammed against a tree trunk, a clawed bat's foot pinning her there by the neck. Stunned, Ceres looked up until her eyes met with the terrifying eyes of another black and red war paint donning flying fox with glowing eyes and teeth. It held a sharp-stick poised to be rammed through Ceres's chest. Ceres, feeling a sudden surge to defend herself, raised her talons and slashed the monstrous creature across the face. The bat, cries of agony exploding from its mouth, fell from the branch, allowing Ceres to make a break for it. Ceres continued flying on until another bat swerved round and met her, deliberately screeching in her face with a frightening war cry and shaking a mace-like weapon. Ceres emitted a piercing scream and darted off but bumped into yet another furry body._

" _Whassup, blue-throated worm?" asked the form sneeringly as Ceres backed away and gazed at it, "My bats frightening you?"_

 _At this, Ceres gazed further at the bat as it returned her gaze with the most menacing and devilish glare Ceres had ever seen. Ceres then noticed something about its right eye._ The right eye's misty _. Ceres shuddered as she felt recognition of the bat's identity set in based on this feature. There was only one bat in the colony who was blind in his right eye. Ceres whispered the name of the bat in horror as the bat in front of her raised its sharp-stick ending in a ball of porcupine spines in a threatening and intimidating way._

" _I hope you're terrified beyond your wildest dreams, you worthless bundle of featherssss," hissed the bat in a snake-like voice, its single, only functioning eye, the left one, glowing menacingly in a shaft of moonlight as Ceres gazed back at it in terror while its clouded right eye was nothing more than a duller grey patch, "Because tonight is to be your worst nightmare before you DIIIIEEEEEE!"_

 _And with a loud, diabolical laughter escaping its mouth, the bat lunged at Ceres and attempted to bludgeon her with its mace-like sharp-stick. Ceres, however, dodged and fled, a dozen bats after her, the murderous determination to kill her boiling within them like a volcano._

Back to reality, Ceres felt the gentle touch of human fingers hold her head in place as the three bird doctors examined her stitched up brow.

"The injury on this macaw's forehead is healing well," Ceres heard the man say to his assistants, "We just gotta keep track of its progress. Right let's replace the bandage on her forehead with a fresh bandage and then unwrap the bandages on her body and check the stitches on her side and chest."

Then as the two assistants of the male doctor set to bringing in a fresh bandage for her forehead, Cere's mind tumbled into another torrent of horrifying memories.

 _Ceres continued flying through the night time canopy. Around her, silvery shafts of moonlight slashed through the trees as the full moon continued to hover in the star-studded sky and shine overhead and Ceres often liked nights like this. However, the beauty of the night had been utterly ruined and destroyed by the terrifying monsters that were the war paint-donning flying foxes armed with weapons like a beautiful paradise land destroyed by loggers, and Ceres was still being pursued by a dozen of them. As Ceres continued flying along, something grabbed her wing and pulled her in to a tree. At first, Ceres was alarmed but when she realised that it were only Fernanda and Azul, she breathed a sigh of relief. The three blue-throated macaws then tried to restrain their hyperventilating noises as the group of bats flew past, their gleaming eyes searching their victims. The group then stopped into a hover, their gleaming gazes scouring the night time jungle for any flash of colourful feathers. Quietly, Ceres, Azul and Fernanda snuck through the leaves and then took to the air once again. However, they were not out of danger yet._

Back to reality, Ceres felt the gentle touch of the bird doctors' fingers as they gently felt along the long gash running from her chest down to above her left talon, the bird doctor checking for anything out of place. The gash, like the one on her forehead, had been stitched up but it was the most serious injury Ceres had borne besides her broken left wing.

"Nothing unusual, doc," said the owner of the hand, one of the assistant. As the lead doctor replied gladly at the news while the other assistant checked the drip pipe leading from Ceres's other wing to the bag, Ceres's mind drifted back into the nightmare that played out last night resulting in her injuries.

 _As Ceres, Azul and Fernanda flew along, Azul flashed a glance behind. However the three macaws were unaware that another group of flying foxes had followed them and were about to launch their attack on the trio._

" _I think we've lost them, Mom," Azul said. Ceres and Fernanda both breathed sighs of relief. However, that moment of relief was about to be shattered. A small black cloud of membranous wings, black with red streaks and weapons such as sharp-sticks came charging through the trees towards the trio. Frightening war cries sounding like devilish squeaky laughter exploded from the creatures, striking fear into any sleeping animal that heard them and jolting them awake. From some hollows in the surrounding trees, curious eyes gazed out into the night jungle only to be startled as a black cloud of winged furred creatures with gleaming eyes and weapons, all uttering frightening cries, flew past them._

" _Let's get outa here," said Ceres. Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from Fernanda's beak as she saw something approach them at an alarming speed. At this, Azul flew in and followed her gaze. Ceres saw it too._

" _Azul, Fernanda!" she cried as the couple, paralysed by fear, remained transfixed on the incoming cloud of crying black bats._

" _You two, fly outa here NOW!" cried Ceres. Then without hesitation and snapping out of their transfixed gazes on the bats, Azul's talon latched onto Fernanda's wing and the pair darted away. Ceres was about to follow but the cloud of bats were upon her before she could even move an inch. Ceres then found herself at the mercy of the group of savage bats and their variety of weapons but the instinct to protect herself instantly exploded within her and took control, adrenaline flooding her body like a tsunami. Then without thinking, the blue-throated macaw began to savagely and defensively lash her talons at the attacking bats, her claws slashing wounds into the faces and bodies of her attackers, knocking weapons out of their grasps and even tore at winged membranes. Ceres's mind was practically overrun by sheer terror, her logical thinking completely clouded by her instinct to defend herself and her talons and beak continued lashing at her attackers. But despite her protective instinct controlling her and fighting off her attackers, the flying foxes continued their relentless assault. One bat then charged in and, with its stick-like weapon, slashed Ceres across the face, opening a gash in her brow. Then another bat tackled Ceres from the right and rammed her hard into a tree trunk. The action was so fast that Ceres's left wing ended up caught between the macaw's body and the bark, resulting in a sickening crack sounding at the point of impact and the most excruciating pain Ceres had ever had in her life erupting from her left wing._

 _Then with a piercing screech of agony, Ceres was sent careening through the canopy, on the way down, another bat with a sharp-stick flew to the front of the blue-throated macaw's trajectory and prepared to impale Ceres the moment she was near. However, the bat had miscalculated its position and instead of its sharp-stick impaling Ceres, Ceres careened right over it. The sharp end of the sharp-stick carved a long gash in Ceres's left side, slashing the skin from the left side of her chest to the top of her talon. Blood drops flew everywhere as Ceres continued hurtling through space. Ceres continued to tumble until she slammed hard into the soil of the forest floor. However, the momentum from the fall was enough to send Ceres tumbling further from the point of impact and she ended up tumbling into the mouth of a burrow._

 _In extreme pain from her broken wing and sliced side, the weary and bloodied blue-throated macaw struggled to get up as the sounds of membranous wings flooded the air outside the burrow. At this, Ceres, her other wing clutching her gash and broken wing, stood still, her beak clenched to prevent whimpers of pain or the noises of her uncontrolled breathing from emanating from her beak. However, her face was twisted in sheer agony. She froze as the group of giant bats, their faces resembling that of a fox, began to scour the surroundings for her. Ceres's wounded wing and side continued screaming in agony and blood was pouring from the gashes on her head and left side. Some of the red drops fell onto the soil. Ceres continued to remain rigid as she watched her attempted murderers continue to scan the environment until her eye caught sighted something further down the tunnel. At this, the blue-throated macaw turned and saw that the burrow continued further on. Seeing this as an opportunity to escape and seeing no other choice, Ceres began to slink away from the searching bats outside. She went quietly at first, trying to protect her slashed side and broken wing from brushing against the tunnel walls with her other wing. Continuously flashing glances at the mouth of the burrow at the searching bats, Ceres continued moving deeper into the tunnel and as soon as she saw that she was at a good distance from the bats, Ceres stepped up her pace in her escape, moving through the tunnel until she emerged safely out the other side. Relieved that there were no bats around, Ceres began to struggle on through the vegetation._

As the flashback ended, Ceres felt fresh bandage get wrapped around her body and head and seconds later, she was gently placed back in the cage and onto the soft bedding. The door was then shut by the lead doctor but not before he took the food bowl and water tube for refilling. After this, the doctor turned and commanded his assistants to fill the bowl and tube with fresh food and water. As the two female assistants nodded and obediently left to do the tasks while the doctor left to check on another bird, a blue and yellow form with a green forehead and a metallic red form with metallic pink and magenta blotches in its plumage slowly approached Ceres's cage. With the pair were two more blue and yellow forms but they did not have green on their foreheads. The two blue-throated macaws had bandages wrapped around certain parts of the body and one of them, the male, had one on his injured right talon. The archaeobird and the blue-and-gold macaw, both female, had bandages on their bodies as well as their wings, those that had been injured, in a cast.Rhea, Glimmergem, Azul and Fernanda had left their cages to check on Ceres and Azul had explained the flying foxes' sudden attack on the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws to Glimmergem and Rhea when he had the chance to be with the two. The two birds had reacted in intense horror and when they saw the state of Ceres, Rhea and Glimmergem had also shuddered.

"Are you sure your mother's gonna be alright, Azul?" asked Glimmergem with a sad face as she gazed at the bundle of blue and orange-yellow feathers as she lay on her back in her cage.

"Well, based on what one of those doctors said about the injury on Mom's side and on her forehead," said Azul, "It's likely that the injuries would scar."

"They're gonna serve as permeant reminders of what happened last night," murmured Fernanda. Her face then filled with dread. "Not to mention the mental trauma she's gonna have to put up with, just like how trauma Lapis Lazuli had to put up with the trauma she had faced after her tribe was driven out by those bats when she was young."

Rhea then gazed at her wing which was still in its cast. Because her injury was a dislocation and not a fracture, her stay was expected to be shorter than Glimmergem's. Then Rhea turned and sat down, a sombre look on her face.

"Aurora and her parents aren't gonna like this news about Sergio," she said. Glimmergem, Azul and Fernanda gazed back at her with tears welling in their eyes. The bird surgeons had been unable to save Sergio's life due to the severity of the stab wound he had sustained during the skirmish involving the near kidnap of Tiago, Lavender, Spock and Dione. While the quartet continued to mourn the loss of Sergio, there was a knock at the window. At this, Azul, Fernanda, Rhea and Glimmergem turned and saw a small group of colourful macaws enter the room through the window and touch down before them.

"Mimas, Iapetus, Porthos," gasped Rhea and with that, she went over to hug them. Ignacio, Jupiter, Callisto, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Miranda, Aramis, Rolando, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira stood around the group smiling.

"Azul, Fernanda," cried Carla in shock, and with that, she, Bia, Tiago and Kira went over to two and hugged them. As the six broke the hug, Aramis stepped in.

"Where's Athos?" he asked.

"He's under examination for his broken talon," said Glimmergem.

"Yes, to make sure that the bones in it are positioned correctly as they mend themselves," added Fernanda. She then breathed a sigh. "I just can't believe what has happened to him."

"Uncle Jupiter told us that he had been deliberately rammed into a rock and subsequently into a thorn-bush during some skirmish," said Bia. She then winced as she imagined a macaw slamming into a rock and crashing into a patch of thorny vines.

"It must have been extremely painful, though," said Kira.

"Tell me about it," muttered Glimmergem as she gazed at her right fore-wing in her cast.

"Those flying furballs are brutal, honestly," snarled Squaw'tagnan angrily.

"'Brutal' is not a suitable adjective I'd use in describing those bats, Squaw'tagnan," said Bia, using a fancy English language word in the process.

"Absolutely not," said Ignacio with a frown. Then as he turned to Azul, Fernanda, Glimmergem and Rhea, he noticed that someone else was missing.

"Where's Aurora's brother Sergio?" he asked. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Rolando, put on hopeful looks on their faces. However, at Ignacio's mentioning of Aurora's younger brother, the faces of Azul, Fernanda, Glimmergem and Rhea fell, tears welling in their eyes, providing Jupiter's group with only one possible answer which they already knew before Rhea even said it.

Looking away, the female blue-and-gold macaw said in an edgy, tearful, "I'm afraid he didn't make it, folks."

As these words were absorbed by their friends' brains, especially those of Carla and her two siblings and cousin, sadness and grief came over them like a black cloud.

"The stab wound was so bad," said Glimmergem, "That the bird doctors struggled to keep that poor Spix macaw alive despite their best efforts. He died during our time in those rooms where those bird doctors operated on our injuries to fix them."

At this, the turn came for Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira to weep and spill tears. Mimas, Iapetus and Porthos also swayed slightly, disbelief written in their eyes while Callisto, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Aramis and Miranda just stood there, also weeping or with beaks covered by their wings. Jupiter, Ignacio and Rolando also stood there, devastated by the news.

"Aurora's family is gonna be heartbroken by this news," whispered Rolando with dread.

"Especially Aurora who is with us in the green tribe's territory alongside Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Lavender, Felix and Tyler, Ricardo, Turquesa, Músculo and Garrett," said Carla in a low voice. Then sobs began to escape the throats of Bia and Kira and they began to break down while Tiago just wept in silence. Mimas and Iapetus put comforting wings on their Spix friends as they cried.

"We're so sorry, folks," said Glimmergem in a low voice. Then Jupiter gazed from Azul to Fernanda to Ceres in her cage.

"Well, I'm glad that you three are alright," he said, "But I can see that Ceres has suffered the most."

"She's very weak at the moment," explained Fernanda. As she said this, Callisto, Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan slowly approached Ceres.

"Mom has had two enormous gashes that required stitching," added Azul, "One on her forehead and another, longer one on her left side, running from her chest down to her leg. She also suffered a broken wing."

As Porthos, Aramis, Squaw'tagnan and Callisto peered through the cage, Jupiter and Ignacio went up to Ceres as she slowly turned and faced them. Seeing the site of the bandages wrapping around her forehead and side made the hearts of Ceres's friends, 'nephews' and 'nieces' lurch. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Rolando, Phoebe and Iapetus and Mimas also saw the state of Ceres.

"Terrible," murmured Mimas. Jupiter then began to try and talk to Ceres, the others backing away to provide him space.

"Ceres," he said gently, "It's me, Jupiter."

Ceres, at this, gazed at the vermillion form with brown eyes as he gazed back at her. At this, she uttered a few words in a whisper. Jupiter leaned in to pick up the words.

"We heard what happened to your clans," said Phoebe nearby.

"Based on what some of Eustace's friends told us," said Squaw'tagnan. Jupiter then reached a wing through the bars and stoked Ceres on the cheek, a tear falling from his eye.

"I will let your mate and two other sons know that you're alright when I see them," he said. Ceres managed a small smile as she felt the love of her scarlet 'brother' as he continued stroking her face. Suddenly, the sound of a door locking mechanism clicking out of place alerted the group. Jupiter immediately retracted his wing from Ceres's cage and snapped his gaze to the door. When he saw a bird doctor walk in, he called for the others to hide, so they did. As the birds hid amongst a cabinet, they saw the bird doctor, another man, gently place a bundle into a cage, check the food bowl and water tube, close the door and then leave to see to another job. After he had gone, Porthos, Squaw'tagnan and Aramis slowly crept out from behind the cabinet and took off towards the bundle in the cage.

The cage had a tag on its door, as did the other cages in the room. These tags listed the species of bird occupying the cage, both of its English name and binomial Latin name, given in brackets, its sex and also what injuries it suffered. In Ceres's case, the tag on her cage read 'Blue-throated macaw ( _Ara glaucogularis)._ Female. Broken wing, serious gashes on forehead and side'. The cage Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan were touching down before had the tag which read, 'Green-winged macaw ( _Ara chloropterus)_. Male. Serious leg injury'. Porthos read this tag and nodded to the other two and the rest to confirm that this cage was occupied by the other casualty, Athos. Because he had spent the first few years of his life as a pet, Porthos was able to read human writing, albeit to a lesser extent than those that had lived as pets for many years, such as Jupiter and Blu.

As the other birds touched down behind Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan and Callisto joined the three, Porthos tried to get Athos's attention as the green-winged macaw settled into his cage after his examination.

"Athos, it's us," called the muscular blue-and-gold macaw as Rhea, Mimas and Iapetus joined him. The others including Carla, Bia and, Tiago and Kira looked on. In response to Porthos's call, Athos turned and saw the visitors as well as Rhea, Azul, Fernanda and Glimmergem. However, his facial expression did not look one bit pleased, though he was glad to see them. Standing up with a stormy look on his face, Athos showed the group his injured right foot wrapped in a cast, the one that had been damaged during the impact against the rock caused by the flying fox's attack on him. Athos also had bandages wrapping parts of his body and his right wing was slung in some kind of sling, similar to how a human's arm, when it was injured, such as from a broken bone, was held. Based on what happened, the group remembered how Athos was subsequently shoved into a thorny patch by his attacker after being smashed against the rock. Athos looked in pain but his face bore the look of an erupting volcano spewing a tall ash cloud and as he talked, his voice matched the sound of one.

"You will not BELIEVE what those WRETCHED FURRED MEMBRANE-WINGED PIGEONS have PUT US THROUGH, ESPECIALLY ME!" he bellowed loudly. Jupiter, at this, tried to calm him while Porthos, Aramis, Squaw'tagnan and Callisto flinched harshly. They had never known Athos to be so angry.

"Shhh," Jupiter hushed, flashing glances at the other birds in their cages, "You'll draw attention to yourself."

Athos, however, did not seem to care for he was too blinded by rage to listen. Slumping down into his bedding, he swiped his food bowl with his other wing, sending bits of fruit and pellets of parrot food flying everywhere and began to seethe.

"STOP THIS at ONCE!" barked Carla in rebuke. As Athos glared at her with a simmering wrathful look on his face, Carla began to talk in a gentler tone. "Look, throwing a hissy fit like that isn't gonna make things any better. We know how angry you are at the whole ordeal and that…"

"I know," retorted Athos in a more restrained voice, but his temper was boiling so much that his restraint was pushed to breaking point. He then gazed down at his battered talon. "You know what this means? It means that I will not be able to carve little models for my friends with this damaged talon. I actually thought they were gonna amputate it, the damage to my foot appeared that bad..."

"Am…pew…?" replied Glimmergem in confusion for such human terminology was completely foreign to her.

"Amputation means removal of a limb that is beyond repair, such as a leg," explained Bia.

"But thankfully," continued Athos, "They didn't since the bones weren't too badly damaged beyond repair," he then turned his face away and bowed his head, utterly miffed. "As for those kidnapped macaws by those bats that had attacked us, I'd hate to think what they're gonna be put through…"

He then turned his gaze back at the group, especially to Callisto, Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan. The look of rage seemed to have calmed down. Callisto, tears in her eyes, extended a wing into the cage to hold wings with her green-winged macaw boyfriend. Athos, touched by this, lifted his other wing and interlocked his feathers with hers. Then Athos shuffled closer to the cage bars where the group stood and moved his head lovingly towards Callisto's such that their foreheads and beaks made contact. Callisto closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Athos's. The others looked on, also touched.

"I just want you to recover," murmured Callisto tearfully. Athos put his wing on her cheek and stroked it. After Callisto slowly pulled her face away, Athos turned to Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan.

"Porthos," said he.

"Yes, Athos?" said Porthos.

"I would like you to lead our quartet until I recover from my injuries and I'm released back into the wild," said Athos. He sighed. "I'm assuming that I'll be in here for a few weeks until my scratches and broken talon all heal up."

Porthos nodded.

"And also, look after Squaw'tagnan and Aramis and our friends," added Athos. His gaze turned to Miranda and Phoebe. "And make sure you keep these two out of trouble with those wretched bats. The last thing I want is any of them getting hurt by those furballs as well."

"We will do just that, Athos," said Phoebe. Miranda nodded in agreement. Athos's gaze then turned to Jupiter and the others. "And I hope you lot will be able to sort out a way to deal with those flying foxes. I reckon they'll be preparing for the next stage of their plans now."

"That's why some of us have gone to Alonso's tribe home grove to discuss the situation," said Rolando sternly. Suddenly, the group heard the sound of the door opening.

"You guys better be off," said Glimmergem as she saw three doctors enter the room, "I can see that the bird doctors are looking to check me, Azul, Rhea and Fernanda next."

"Right, let's go," said Jupiter. He then put a wing on Callisto's shoulder while Rolando, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Aramis, Miranda, Iapetus, Mimas and Porthos, together with Ignacio, all said goodbye to the four birds, Athos and Ceres who slowly looked at them. Callisto was stuck with reluctance to leave her boyfriend but Athos knew she had to leave.

"Don't worry, I'll be alright," said Athos when he saw the reluctant and saddened look in Callisto's eyes. "Just leave."

Callisto, at this, gazed back at Athos for another minute until finally, she stepped forward, put her wings on either side of Athos's head and before he could ask, she pulled him to his face, locked her beak with his in a series of passionate smooches. The others looked on as the two continued kissing. Then as Callisto broke away and gazed into Athos's eyes lovingly, with him returning it, she slowly began to leave and follow the others. Glimmergem, Azul, Rhea and Fernanda stood by.

"Make sure you be very careful of those bats," called Athos as the group fluttered towards the open window.

"And also make sure that my clan are alright, if you can visit them," added Glimmergem.

"And I hope that you'll deal with those bats as well and rescue those that have been kidnapped," said Rhea.

"We will see what we can do Rhea, but in the meantime, make sure you rest well until you're good enough to be released," said Jupiter as he perched on the windowsill. As he said this, Carla, Bia and Tiago stole one last glance in the room and at Athos, Glimmergem, Rhea, Azul and Fernanda and then at Ceres as she continued resting on her back in her cage before spreading their wings and taking off to outside. Kira and Rolando followed and after them came Phoebe, Squaw'tagnan, Aramis, Miranda, Iapetus, Mimas and Porthos with Ignacio. The last to follow was Callisto. She paused to gaze at her green-winged boyfriend one final time before leaving. After she had gone, Jupiter followed. As the group flew away from the animal hospital and continued in the direction of Alonso's tribe's home patch but on the way looking for a puddle of mud to apply a fresh layer of mud into their plumage since the old one was fading, revealing patches of colour through the suit, Miranda flashed a glance behind.

"At least those guys will be safe from the flying foxes," she said.

"Let's just coat ourselves in mud and get back to Alonso's tribe's territory," said Jupiter. Miranda nodded and obediently followed the others.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25- plunges into darkness**

 **The blue-and-gold tribe's home patch**

The sun was slowly sinking towards its setting point of the western horizon. In the home grove of the blue-and-gold macaws, dozens of blue and yellow birds continued to bring in fruit and check on the non-tribe and clan residents of their territory. Soleado had entrusted the leadership role to his inner-circle birds, among them Saturn and Orquidea, to keep watch over the other tribe members and the smaller group birds while he and some of the other members went to Alonso's tribe's home patch to discuss the flying fox situation as invited by Alonso's messengers as well as the command that no-one leave the home grove except the patrollers and foragers. Since he had left, the inner circle birds had taken up the role until he returned. The air hanging over the blue-and-gold tribe's grove of trees was a dull grey cloud filled with uncertainty, despair and worry. None of the tribe members other than the foraging and patrol groups had been outside the home patch but encounters and narrow escapes from groups of armed flying foxes intent on kidnapping birds had increased. Fortunately, none of the tribe members had been kidnapped yet.

Tobias, the oldest son of Soleado and Zoie stood on the rim of the entrance to his parents' hollow, his saddened eyes sliding over the dull atmosphere of depressed birds. He had hoped that Alonso will have come up with some sort of solution and plan of action against the ever increasing flying fox threat. There was no doubt that the flying foxes were going to go ahead with their invasion plans now, especially after what happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws last night, and what was even more worrying was that there was nothing stopping the bats now. Tobias then turned his gaze towards the approaching sunset. The sun hovered as an amber circle, like a giant pale orange or grapefruit, right over its setting point. Tobias breathed a despairing sigh. Night was approaching and he hoped that Soleado and Zoie would not be too long there. As Tobias continued gazing out into the grove air, a voice sounded behind him.

"Is everything alright, bro?" it said. Tobias turned and saw Bromelia (the one who had spoken) and Amarillo approach him. They were accompanied by Felicia who had been given the task of looking after the hollow and the three siblings by Soleado before he and Zoie left and Felicia was the scoremarker for the blue-and-gold macaw tribe's Pit of Games team.

"You look very down," said Felicia. Tobias sighed and returned to gazing at the scenery stretched out before him.

"Just worried about the situation with the flying foxes," he replied in a sombre voice. Felicia walked up to the young blue-and-gold macaw and sat down beside him.

"We all are," she said sympathetically, "That's why our leaders and your parents have left to discuss this with the other tribe and clan leaders in Alonso's tribe's home patch."

Amarillo then flashed Felicia a very worried look. "Could it mean leaving our homes?" he asked timidly. Felicia gazed down at him.

"I hope not," she said, "One, we've lived here for generations and two, our territories have been set up as a protected reserve from loggers and poachers and if we were to leave everything behind…"

She trailed off, not wanting to mention the consequences. Tobias then hardened his gaze as he thought about the Lear's macaw tribe.

"Waldo and Monique's tribe are NOT going to like the sound of leaving their beloved ravine, I can tell you," he said, "Especially since they've lived in that ravine for generations as well since their ancestors from a large colony in Bahia migrated westward to that spot and settled there."

"It's their most valuable heirloom," said Felicia.

"What's an heirloom?" asked Amarillo.

"It's a valuable belonging that is passed down through the generations, Amarillo," explained Felicia, "And that is exactly what that ravine in which the Lear's macaw tribe lives is."

"And if those flying furballs," said Tobias, saying the two 'f' words with pure bitterness and malice, "were to invade that ravine, drive the Lear's macaw tribe out and make it their own land, then they'd be stealing that heirloom from the Lear's macaws."

Felicia nodded in agreement. "That's right, Tobias," she said, "Those bats are nothing but thieves, they are. But the Lear's tribe's ravine is not the only invaluable habitat they have. The homes of the other tribes and clans as well as the other birds living on the Sanctuary de Amazon, including our own, are also very valuable."

"Not just because they're our generation heirloom though," continued Felicia, "But because our human friends, those who care for the environment, have set them and our lands up as a nature reserve to protect us from habitat loss from loggers and whatnot."

Tobias nodded while Bromelia and Amarillo smiled. Felicia then sighed.

"But why those flying foxes have set to intruding in our land in the first place is anybody's guess," she said.

"Maybe because they are jealous of us being protected from logging?" suggested Bromelia. Felicia only shrugged. Just then the sounds of wing flaps reached the quartet's ears.

"Felicia!" cried a familiar voice. At this, Felicia looked up and saw a young male macaw and a friend of hers, Romeo, shoot in like a blue and yellow comet. Romeo was one of Soleado's most trusted inner-circle birds and another childhood friend of Orquidea. He looked very alarmed and terrified, his dark green eyes widened and his plumage puffed out. Because of this Bromelia made a remark under her breath about how he looked as though he had been pursued by a predator.

"Whoa, Romeo, slow down," called Felicia as the macaw managed to brake before crashing into the tree beside the hollow entrance. Romeo then touched down and began to gasp for air.

"Something urgent?" asked Tobias.

"You'd better come with me right away," cried Romeo, "Or things might spiral out of control!"

Felicia and Tobias, at this, flashed a concerned glance to each other and then took off. Bromelia and Amarillo followed with Romeo in tow.

As the five blue-and-gold macaws approached a certain tree, they could hear screeching and shouting from within its hollow.

"It's NOT safe to go into the Bluewing Clan's territory, Orquidea! Soleado and Zoie ordered us to stay within the grove!"

"But our son Enceladus has been MISSING FOR WELL OVER A DAY! We HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK FOR HIM!"

"But THAT territory will have been TAKEN OVER BY THOSE BATS NOW! HAVE YOU NOT HEARD WHAT CLEMONT AND SERENA HAVE TOLD US!?"

Tobias widened his eyes in surprise. He had never heard Saturn and Orquidea have such a heated argument like this before. However, Romeo was insistent.

"Come on!" he cried, "Before either of them gets hurt!"

And with that, the quintet accelerated towards the tree. Inside the tree hollow, Saturn and Orquidea glared at each other with furious eyes, shouting at each other loudly. From the sidelines, their two second-brood sons, Hyperion and Gordon, continued watching the argument go on with Serena and Clemont standing beside them. All four were afraid as they helplessly watched the argument continue to rage like a storm. Saturn and Orquidea had started bickering a few hours ago, Orquidea insisting that she fly into the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory to search for Enceladus and also Ceres and her family and Saturn not wanting her to run into danger. However, over time, that bickering had exploded into a heated argument. Orquidea's eyes were blazing pink fire while Saturn's eyes were beige storms like those on his namesake ringed planet. The couple were indeed at complete loggerheads with each other. Orquidea's stubbornness was sometimes a problem for Saturn, especially regarding danger. Orquidea then turned and stormed towards the entrance of the hollow.

"I don't CARE!" she bellowed as she stomped away from her mate, "I WANNA find our son and bring him back."

Before she hopped onto the rim of the hollow, Orquidea shot Saturn a scorching gaze. "And if he is EVER found dead because of those BATS, YOU will be the one to blame for allowing HIM to go over there in the first place!"

Saturn flinched harshly at the comment, while Clemont, Hyperion, Serena and Gordon looked on in horror. Clemont then began to look for a way to intervene but was too paralysed by fear of getting caught in the crossfire to do anything.

"ME!?" retorted Saturn in shock, "It's NOT my fault that those FURBALLS have DECIDED to DRIVE OUT THOSE POOR HYACINTH AND BLUE-THROATED MACAWS IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

His anger then really got the better of him and he shook with it. "I think you're an… EXTREMELY… STUBBORN and HARD-HEADED MACAW who DISREGARDS DANGER!"

Orquidea flinched harshly, offended by this comment but Saturn swept on. "If you WANNA go over there and GET INJURED BY THOSE WINGED FURBALLS, you GO AHEAD, but DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU DO, because I've HAD ENOUGH of your STUBBORNNESS!"

"STOP IT!" cried Serena, darting between the arguing couple. Saturn and Orquidea shot her a flabbergasted look. At that moment, five more blue-and-gold macaws appeared at the hollow entrance. Saturn and Orquidea, at this, looked at the five newcomers who were Romeo, Felicia, Tobias, Bromelia and Amarillo as they gazed back at the pair in surprise. Serena, however, ignored the five new arrivals and continued protesting against Saturn and Orquidea arguing.

"Falling out like this is not gonna achieve anything," she continued, "And besides that, it's nobody's fault. We just didn't know that the flying foxes had planned an attack on those two clans to begin with."

"That's right," said Felicia as she stepped into the hollow. Her gaze then landed on Saturn and Orquidea. "Seriously, you two, you need to get a grip."

There was a moment of silence in the hollow, Orquidea, however, was too stubborn to listen to anyone. Blinded by rage and hurt at Saturn's scorching remarks about her, she made for the hollow, barged past Tobias, Bromelia, Romeo and Amarillo and took to the air without even acknowledging anyone. Saturn dashed off after her.

"Orquidea, come BACK!" he cried but his mate refused to answer and was eventually out of earshot. Felicia shot Saturn an angered gaze.

"Now you've DONE IT, you MORON!" she barked, "You've pushed her into leaving!"

Saturn, at this, felt guilt splash over him and he began to tremble. Around him, Serena, Clemont, Gordon, Hyperion, Felicia, Bromelia, Romeo and Amarillo could only look on. Then Saturn felt the urge to go after Orquidea come over him. Without another second's hesitation, he made for the hollow, forcing Romeo, Bromelia, Tobias and Amarillo to step aside and then lofted into flight.

"Saturn, come back here," cried Tobias, "Saturn? Saturn? SATURN!"

However, Saturn was already out of earshot as he had flown away so fast. Then moments later, the sounds of more wing-flaps reached the ears of the group. At this, the group turned and saw Ignacio fly in with Iapetus and Mimas.

"Ignacio," said Felicia with surprise.

"Where are Saturn and Orquidea?" asked Ignacio urgently. At this, Tobias, Bromelia, Romeo and Amarillo pointed in the direction in which Saturn and Orquidea had flown.

"They need to know that Enceladus is alive," said Ignacio. At this, the group exchanged shocked glances.

"Is he?" asked Tobias. Romeo then turned to look into the hollow for Clemont and Serena but the two cockatoos weren't with Gordon and Hyperion. The two brothers were left confused as to where the cockatoos had gone. At this, Romeo snapped his gaze from inside the hollow to outside until his eyes landed on a pair of pale shapes as they flew off at high speed.

"CLEMONT, SERENA!" he barked. Clemont and Serena, however, did not hear Romeo's voice and continued flying after Saturn and Orquidea.

"CLEMONT, SERENA, GET BACK HERE!" barked Mimas.

"Now what are we gonna do!?" asked Felicia angrily. Ignacio was about to reply when suddenly, another voice reached his ears.

"Ignacio, Felicia, a patrol group's been attacked by some flying foxes and two have been kidnapped!"

At this, Ignacio breathed a seriously frustrated sigh and turned to two macaws approaching him.

 **Later**

Night was beginning to fall on the rainforest for the sun was in the process of setting. Opposite the setting sun, the daylight was being eaten away by the darkness of night and stars were slowly stepping out of the light from the sun. The moon hovered close to the eastern horizon, slowly ascending into the sky. In the jungle, night time animals were preparing for their nightly business while the diurnal (day-active) animals were preparing for bed. The jungle was eerily quiet as well except for the sounds of some wing-flaps coming from a certain blue and yellow macaw as she flew through the darkening jungle. Orquidea scanned the evening surroundings with wary eyes. She was now in the territory of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws but to her surprise, everything was eerily quiet. Surprised by this abnormal quietness Orquidea slowed to a hover and perched onto a branch and began to listen for any hyacinth or blue-throated macaw calls. However, there was none. Orquidea opened her wings to continue when suddenly, she heard the sounds of wing-flaps. At this, she stiffened. The wing-flaps became louder and louder, making Orquidea's nerves shudder all the more. Warily, the blue-and-gold macaw looked around until… "Orquidea?

Orquidea turned round to the speaker and when her eyes met the form, she let loose a startled shriek. However it were only Saturn, Clemont and Serena. Orquidea, at this, breathed a sigh of relief but then her gaze turned to a glare as she eyed her mate. She was obviously still angry with him for the things he said back at the hollow. Saturn, however, wore an apologetic expression.

"Look, I'm gonna look for Enceladus, before you start protesting," Orquidea growled but Clemont stepped forward.

"But Orquidea, this place is now likely owned by the flying foxes," he said, "You've heard what we've been telling Soleado and Zoie."

"And besides that, it is extremely unwise," said Serena. She flashed a glance here and there as though expecting an armed flying fox to come jumping out at them. "If you run into any of those bats, you could end up in mortal danger."

Orquidea, however, was too stubborn to listen to the warnings for she was desperate to find Enceladus. Then Saturn began to try and apologise.

"Look, I'm sorry about the things I've said back at our hollow but," he began, "We should head back to our tribe's territory."

"Yeah, it's not safe here," said Serena. She shuddered at the eerie quietness of the trees. What made things even more eerie was the fact that there were absolutely NO birdcalls whatsoever. Saturn then looked around and noticed that the trees were lacking birdcalls. At this, he shuddered.

"Do you hear any birdcalls, Orquidea?" he asked. Orquidea, forgetting her anger at Saturn for saying those remarks to her back at the blue-and-gold tribe's territory, stopped and began to listen to the surroundings. Clemont also listened for birdcalls.

"This is definitely not normal," said Orquidea, "Normally, the Bluewing Clan's territory air is flooded with all sorts of birdcalls, among them blue-throated macaw and hyacinth macaw calls but now," she looked around, "It's indeed awfully quiet."

"It's almost l-l-like a ghost-town in a-a-a human settlement," said Clemont, a slight shudder in his voice, "Or an abandoned habitat."

"I definitely don't feel safe here," murmured Serena. Saturn then prepared to take the quartet back to the blue-and-gold tribe's territory but the sounds of wing-flaps as Orquidea had taken off deeper into the abnormally quiet Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory tugged him away from doing this.

"Orquidea!" he called and with that, he opened his wings and lofted into flight after her. Clemont and Serena flashed each other a gaze and followed.

A little while later, the four had reached the outskirts of the home patch of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws. Serena and Clemont timidly looked around, their crests partially raised and their eyes wide with fear. The same abnormal quietness and lack of birdcalls persisted and it was making them feel agitated. It was then that Clemont's eye caught sighted a flash of navy blue in one of the trees. At this, he turned and looked at the flash and realised it was a feather.

"Clemont?" asked Serena when she saw Clemont fly towards the spot where he had seen the feather. Ahead, Saturn and Orquidea flew further towards the home groves that belonged to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws. Clemont then touched down onto the branch and picked up the feather. Serena flew in and looked at the feather closely. The feather was a rich navy blue and based on its shape, it appeared to have come from a wing. However, Serena saw that the tip was dipped in red.

"It's a hyacinth macaw wing flight feather," Clemont whispered, "Looks like it had been shed by an injured hyacinth macaw."

Serena then began to look around for Saturn and Orquidea in the trees until her eyes landed on a pair of aqua blue and yellow forms. The two were hovering over something before descending through the canopy. Then Serena heard Orquidea shout a familiar name. At this, the sulfur-crested cockatoo opened her wings and took off after them. Clemont subsequently followed, dropping the feather in the process. Orquidea continued descending through the canopy, her eyes on a familiar macaw with Saturn following closely behind. Behind Saturn, Clemont and Serena followed. As the pair of blue-and-gold macaws touched down, Orquidea went over to the familiar macaws, which were a pair of scarlet macaws.

"Orquidea, Saturn," said one of the scarlet macaws, which was a female, "What are you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask the same question, Ruby and Ganymede," said Saturn. Ruby and the other scarlet macaw, her son Ganymede, then began to enter into conversation with Orquidea and Saturn. While they did this, Serena touched down, also surprised to see Ruby and Ganymede present.

"Looks like Aunt Ruby and Ganymede have come to look for survivors as well," she told Clemont as he touched down. Clemont, his eyes on Ganymede and Ruby, then began to take a few steps back until his left talon landed on something feathery. At this, he looked down and saw a set of navy blue flight feathers. However, Clemont was in for a nasty shock. As Clemont's eyes followed the set of feathers and landed on their owner, the citron-crested cockatoo drew in a sharp squawk of fright and leaped about a foot into the air. His orange crest flared up and his plumage bristled. His squawk alerted Saturn, Orquidea, Ganymede and Ruby and they gazed at the two cockatoos.

"Clemont, Serena?" gasped Ganymede in surprise, "What are you two doing here?"

Ruby, Orquidea and Saturn, however, had their eyes on what Clemont had just seen. Serena then came to see what had startled Clemont.

"What is-?" she began but before she could finish, she drew in a sharp, horrified gasp. Her pure yellow crest also flared up. Saturn, Orquidea, Ganymede and Ruby then walked in and also drew in a sharp gasp each.

Lying before the two blue-and-gold macaws, two scarlet macaws, the citron-crested cockatoo and sulfur-crested cockatoo was a large navy blue bird whose height was almost twice that of Clemont and Serena. Based on its features, the hyacinth macaw was a female but she lay lifeless, her eyes like glass. Gashes crisscrossed her navy blue plumage and her beak hung open. A dried pool of blood had formed under her beak. Sickened by the very sight of the corpse, Ganymede shuddered and drew closer to his mother Ruby who had her beak covered with her wings, eyes wide in horror. Clemont felt his stomach churn while Serena swayed with her head spinning. Orquidea also shuddered while Saturn went over to the dead hyacinth macaw. She was familiar and Saturn had seen this macaw with one of Demetrio and Violeta's sons and their daughter.

"Ligia, Vincente's mate," murmured Saturn as he looked at the lifeless eyes closely. Saturn then looked up and saw several navy blue forms scattered along the forest floor. Among the corpses, Saturn thought he saw a few dashes of white, like those of a broken eggshell. Saturn then stood back and gazed at Ligia's lifeless body and the bodies of some of the other hyacinth macaws once again.

"You weren't kidding about what had happened to the Bluewing Clan last night," murmured he to Clemont and Serena who shuddered at the sight of the carcass and did not reply, too stricken by horror and revulsion to get any words out.

"There seem to be more dead hyacinth macaws than blue-throated macaws," said Ganymede as he hovered a few feet off the ground and examined more of the forest floor. He had seen more navy blue forms dotting the brown soil and green undergrowth in another direction and had only seen one blue and yellow form, indicative of a blue-throated macaw.

"What Ceres and her family have been through to cause this carnage must have been an utter nightmare," murmured Orquidea. Then the reason of why she came here in the first place returned to her. "Oh, are we gonna return to finding Enceladus?" she asked. Saturn, Clemont and Serena shot her a 'What!?' look while Ruby and Ganymede's gazes were surprised.

"Enceladus was here when it happened?" asked Ganymede.

"Apparently so," said Clemont. Saturn then breathed a sigh.

"Well, I feel it's time we head back," he said, his wary eyes scanning the surroundings, "I don't feel safe here and I have a seriously bad feeling about this..."

Suddenly, a scornful voice laced with acidic mockery exploded from above the group, making all six jump.

"Well, that bad feeling you've got sure has a good reason, you filthy feathered jungle worms!"

Saturn, at this drew in a sharp gasp while Orquidea, Ganymede and Ruby flinched. Clemont and Serena's crest flared out and all six began to shoot terrified glances at the air above as dozens of furry creatures with membranous wings descended from the air towards the group, their eyes which were flooded with acidic scorn and malice, fixed on them. Then Saturn's talon darted out, seized a nearby stick and pointed it at the enormous flying creatures, some smaller than others due to their age, as they lighted down onto the ground around the six birds, the fronds of ferns and light leaf litter kicked up by the draughts generated by their large charcoal-black membranous wings.

"You come anywhere near us and I'll BLUGEON YOU!" snarled Saturn hostilely, his feathers bristled and his stick hovering threateningly at the flying foxes. However, the response Saturn got were scornful and mocking laughter as one of the flying foxes, a brown female, gazed at a hideous male with a muscular build with a crooked smirk.

"Who is that blue and yellow pile of capybara dung talking to, Voldemort?" she asked nastily.

"I don't know but he certainly is playing with fire, Cruella," replied the male meanly, making a snide reference to the macaws' intense dislike of fire as a form of intimidation. Then mocking laughs rolled through the flying fox crowd, much to Saturn's offended flash of his eyes. Behind him, Clemont and Serena quivered at the sight of the large male bat named Voldemort. This bat was enormous, around twice their size. His face and body fur was crisscrossed with countless scars including some fresh ones he had received from most recent fights, and his body was highly muscled, more so than Jupiter, as Ganymede saw. The hideous appearance of the flying fox made Ruby, Ganymede, Orquidea, Clemont and Serena wince in revulsion. Clemont and Serena's eyes then darted about and examined the other flying foxes, all who wore the same malicious expression as Voldemort and Cruella. Most of the flying foxes were large, like Voldemort and Cruella but some of them appeared small, some smaller even than Clemont and Serena. At this, the two cockatoos deduced them to be young pups and adolescent flying foxes but like the adults, their faces bore malicious and sadistic looks. Then Clemont and Serena's eyes landed on a group of five flying foxes in the crowd, an adult brown male, an adult red-brown female and three smaller, white bats, an adolescent male and two young females. However, there was something different about the facial expressions of these bats. Instead of being full of scorn and mockery like the other flying foxes, the faces of these five were laced with concern and fear. Clemont and Serena, together with Ganymede and Ruby, blinked in confusion. Were these five bats really concerned for them? However, Voldemort's threatening voice snapped them out of their thoughts.

Voldemort, his face now a look of thunder, then began to advance towards Saturn, a sharp-stick in his enormous wings, given to him by one of the flying foxes. Saturn who wore a defiant and hostile facial expression, and Orquidea, Ruby, Ganymede, Clemont and Serena whose facial expressions were flooded with immense terror, backed away and huddled close together as the enormous bat towered menacingly over Saturn, his sharp-stick's point aimed for his chest. Saturn, however, kept his stick held high, poised to whack Voldemort across the face.

"Now, since you and your five friends over there," growled Voldemort in a voice that sounded like the growl of a jaguar, his hostile gaze flashing from Saturn to Orquidea, Ruby, Ganymede, Clemont and Serena, "Have stepped into flying fox territory, you are to be put to DEATH!"

The other flying foxes apart from the five that wore concerned looks, nodded in agreement. At Voldemort's mentioning of 'flying fox territory' when this was in fact the territory of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws, Ruby felt an immense flash of outrage burn through her. Her terror immediately became replaced by that anger as she began to retort at Voldemort's statement.

"YOUR territory!?" she snapped, "This territory belongs to a clan of HYACINTH AND BLUE-THROATED MACAWS, NOT YOU!"

"This territory is part of our land now, red rodent," said Voldemort without a care in the world, "Those two clans of feathered worms have been driven out, and now their land belongs to us."

The other flying foxes apart from five of them laughed evilly. The macaws and two cockatoos, however, were not amused. Then Saturn's eyes briefly darted to Ligia's corpse and then back to Voldemort's hideous gaze.

"Don't you realise what trauma you have put those poor birds through!?" he asked furiously, his stick still poised to lash out defensively. Voldemort, at this, stood up and nonchalantly shrugged.

"Oh, that," he said shamelessly and casually, "Well, if any of those macaws have survived, I'm sure they'll get over it eventually."

Clemont, Serena and Ganymede felt a flash of utter outrage burn through them, as did Orquidea and Ruby. 'He's obviously not ashamed of what the bats have done to those poor macaws!' growled Clemont in his mind.

''They'll get over it eventually'?' thought Serena disgustedly, 'It's likely that many of those poor macaws will be scarred for LIFE after what those bats had put them through last night'.

A quiet hiss filtered through the sulfur-crested cockatoo's beak as she simmered in silence. Behind Clemont, Serena, Ganymede, Ruby and Orquidea, the five bats also blinked and flinched. Saturn then gazed at Ligia's corpse once again before glaring back at Voldemort, a look of thunder on his face.

"That hyacinth macaw over there was the mate of one of the Bluewing Clan leaders' SONS," he snarled. Voldemort shot Ligia's corpse a shameless glance and gazed back at the smaller blue-and-gold macaw.

"Oh yeah, and how does that entail to that son of the hyacinth macaw clan leaders' son?" he asked casually, the tittering of some of the flying foxes subsequently following. Saturn hardened his gaze. His temper was boiling furiously inside him and Ganymede saw that he was reaching breaking point. He remembered barely restraining his temper when Nigel the cockatoo taunted him and Orquidea when he and his three sisters and 'cousins' were chicks.

"He'd be severely HEARTBROKEN by now if he had survived that night," reported the blue-and-gold macaw stormily, "And his daughter will have lost her mother, as a CHICK! Do you know how that feels, to lose a parent in a violent siege?"

"Oh, I know how painful a loss of a loved one can be," crooned Voldemort evilly and sarcastically with that, he burst out laughing. The other flying foxes apart from five also giggled, sending disgust tearing through Saturn, Ruby, Ganymede, Orquidea, Clemont and Serena once again. Then Voldemort turned serious and resumed his original intentions.

"But enough of that palaver and straight to the chase," he snarled, his sharp-stick hovering dangerously close to Saturn's neck, "It is time for you to bed put to death. You know birds like you shouldn't be roaming around flying fox territory."

The other bats except five all wailed in agreement. At this, Saturn felt a flash of fear pulse through him while Clemont, Serena, Orquidea, Ruby and Ganymede shuddered and whimpered, huddling ever closer together as the flying foxes closed in on them. Then one of the flying foxes, another muscular male but with reddish fur, stepped in.

"Wait, everyone," he called, stopping the murderous advances. At this, all eyes turned to him.

"What is it, Ratigan?" asked Voldemort irritably, "Don't you realise that these trespassers need to DIE?"

Ratigan gazed at the six macaws. The other flying foxes exchanged confused glances while the five sympathetic ones looked on.

"Do you suppose these six would make great sources of information about the other bird tribes, clans and bird groups?" asked Ratigan. At this, Voldemort paused, his acidic gaze fixed on Saturn and the other five as hard as a glare from a jaguar. Then his smile widened into a crooked streak across his face. But before he could answer, Clemont felt a surge of anger course through him. Breaking away from the other four and standing next to Saturn, he boldly stepped towards Voldemort in a confrontational manner.

"No, Clemont!" cried Ganymede.

"That bat's extremely dangerous!" cried Ruby. Saturn, Serena and Orquidea looked on with astounded looks on their faces as Clemont began to confront the monstrous bat.

"You are NOT gonna jab those porcupine spines smothered with that tranquiliser-like stuff you had recently discovered into any of US, you HIDEOUS BRUTE!" he screeched. Voldemort's eyes blinked in confusion.

" _Tranquiliser!?"_ he retorted at Clemont's choice of vocabulary. Serena then felt a flash of boldness course through her

"In translation, you dog-faced creep," she snarled, her yellow crest flared, "A substance that puts its victims to sleep."

At this, Ratigan's eye flashed with astonishment as did the eyes of many of the other flying foxes including the five sympathetic bats.

"How did you know about my DISCOVERY of the DORMINDO PLANT!?" Ratigan snarled. Serena immediately translated that Portuguese word (dormindo) in her mind: 'sleeping' plant. Then Saturn intervened.

"Well, we have no time for this riffraff and palaver with you bats," he growled, his talon placed onto Clemont's wing. "It's time we were off."

"We're not finished," said Voldemort. At this, Orquidea stepped forward.

"Forget it, mutant vulture with fur and membrane wings," she snarled, "We're out of here."

At this, Voldemort's wrath began to boil dangerously inside him and his eyes blazed into brown infernos.

"What did you just call me!?" he snarled and with that, he released a loud snarl. Cruella looked on in shock.

"I think that blue and yellow rodent's turned Voldemort into a fireball," she murmured. Voldemort then snapped his gaze from the birds to Cruella and her companions.

"Look, don't you stand there staring, you lot," he bellowed, "SEIZE THEM!"

Then before Saturn, Orquidea, Ruby, Ganymede, Serena and Clemont could loft into flight to escape, the bats dived upon them while Voldemort attacked Saturn. Saturn's temper finally burst. With an enraged screech, he jumped up and as hard as he could, he slammed the stick onto Voldemort's torso, hard. However, due to the heavy muscle under the bat's skin, Voldemort was completely unfazed much to Saturn's shock.

"Was that ya best shot, feathered slug?" he crooned, saliva dripping from his mouth, before turning savage. "Now let me show you MINE!"

And with that, Voldemort's wings rose and seized Saturn by the neck before pulling him to the ground. Then before Saturn could act, Voldemort was on top of him.

"SATURN!" cried Orquidea as she struggled with some bats. Saturn struggled under Voldemort's massive body but Voldemort refused to budge.

"I'm gonna CHOKE YOU INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS!" growled Voldemort and with that, he wrapped his wings around Saturn's neck and began to strangle him. Saturn's eyes bulged out of his sockets as his air supply was cut off. His name exploded from Orquidea's beak as she watched her mate struggle to pry Voldemort's iron grip wings from his throat. Then Clemont turned and when he saw Voldemort attempt to strange Saturn into unconsciousness, his fury exploded. Voldemort laughed devilishly as he watched Saturn's movements slow and his struggles for breath.

"I sure lurve torturin' birds," he crooned, "Just wait until we take him back to our Interrogation Pa… AAAAAAAGGGGRRRHHH!"

His crooning voice became replaced by a screech of agony as excruciating pain exploded from his back. Voldemort then leaped off of Saturn as Clemont hovered nearby, his talons covered with blood. Then with an enraged screech, the citron-crested cockatoo pounced onto Voldemort and began to tear his claws and beak through his pelage. Saturn then began to gasp for air, flooding his body with the desperately needed oxygen he had been unable to provide during Voldemort's strangling of him. While Clemont furiously raked his claws over Voldemort's skin, his blue eyes completely engulfed with flames, Ganymede, Ruby, Serena and Orquidea continued fighting off more bats. Serena found herself face to face with Cruella and began to struggle for her sharp-stick. However, Cruella was having none of this and viciously tore her weapon from Serena's grasp. Then Ruby began to bellow to the other five to flee when suddenly, an ear-piercing screech exploded from her beak. Ganymede turned to her.

"MOOOM!" he cried and went over to her. Ruby's wing then went to her side and her face twisted in agony. Ganymede, Orquidea and Serena went over to her and tried to pry her wing around whatever was stuck into her side. Nearby, a young orange male bat with a leaf-bag full of brown sticks covered with a weird green substance stood by, his face twisted into a look of thunder.

"We've just had about enough of THIS!" he bellowed. Ganymede continued trying to get Ruby to respond.

"Mom, are you alright?" he asked. Ruby looked up at him but then her behaviour began to slow as the green paste on the porcupine spine stuck into her side began to take effect. It was then that Ganymede felt a sharp stabbing pain explode from his lower back. At this, he screeched and grasped where he had been stabbed. Another flying fox had jabbed another spine into his back. Then Orquidea and Saturn were stabbed with porcupine spines smothered with the green paste. While this happened, Voldemort managed to dislodge Clemont from his back.

"GET OFF OF ME, you WHITE-FEATHERED SLUDGE-LEECH!" he bellowed and with that, he bolted to toss Clemont into the air, whirled round and without hesitation, he slashed his food claws across Clemont's stomach. Clemont released an ear-splitting screech as he crashed onto the forest floor. His wings flew to his wounded stomach and his face twisted in pain. However, another sharp pain, this time a literal stabbing one, exploded from his upper back near his left shoulder. Clemont released another cry of agony and grasped the spot where he had been stabbed. When his wing felt something rigid, a horrible feeling came over him but it was extremely painful. Clemont staggered away, one wing on his scratched stomach and the other on a brown twig jutting from his shoulder. However, a few seconds later, Clemont began to feel very weird. It started out with light-headedness, followed subsequently by dizziness as though Clemont had been staying awake for nights on end. His body became weak and Clemont collapsed onto his front. His vision then began to blur and his hearing became echoed as though he were in a large hall. It was obvious that the substance on the quill jammed into his back was working its sinister properties on his system. As Clemont's senses grew weaker, he could barely hear the voices of the bats.

"Are you alright, Voldemort?"

"I'm fine, Cruella, thanks… ow, ow, OOOWW!"

"Your back needs to be treated. Let's get you back to our infirmary."

"Which of these six feathered rodents would you like to take?"

"Well, I've just had news from Shinzon that they already have some red and blue-and-gold macaws anyway but I suppose one or two more wouldn't hurt."

"We'll take the adult female blue-and-gold and the adult female scarlet."

"What about the adult male blue-and-gold, the young adult male scarlet and the two crested parrots?"

"We'll take them away and feed them to a predator such as a snake or jaguar or something."

"No, you lot go ahead with your choice of the female scarlet and blue-and-gold macaws. We'll see to the other four."

"Okay, then Augustus and make sure that you put them to death."

Clemont, at this, shuddered. He had deduced that Orquidea and Ruby were to be taken away while Ganymede, Saturn, Serena and himself were to be put to death by 'Augustus'. Then the air around him became filled with the flapping of membranous wings as the flying foxes disappeared, moments before Clemont's world began to fade into blackness. However, before blackness engulfed him, what he heard next stunned him beyond belief.

"Melissa, Stella, Luna, Sebastian!" cried the voice, "Get some clean water and damp moss for the orange crested parrot and some large leaf hammocks, QUICKLY!"

Then the next thing Clemont knew was he felt the touch of membranous wings on his hips. He was then rolled onto his right side and felt the porcupine spine get pulled out of his back but Clemont only had enough time to see the bat's face, which was a brown face with sympathy-flooded blue eyes before blackness completely enveloped his vision, plunging him into the depths of unconsciousness.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26- despairing news**

Orquidea's vision began to slowly creep out of the darkness of unconsciousness. She had no idea of how long she had been out cold but it must have been a few hours. As her vision swam through a sea of blurriness which was slowly decreasing, Orquidea began to stir. Her sense of touch also returned and her hearing began to pick up sounds again. However, as she came to, her head feeling light, she felt something tight around her body and her back against something hard. Orquidea's eyes blinked and slowly slid open until they began to register their owner's surroundings. As Orquidea's gaze crept around, she realised that it was now night time, the sky overhead partly cloudy and strewn with stars, and the full moon beaming down silvery shafts of light onto the clearing. Few half-dead and splintered tree trunks and fallen logs dotted the clearing and around the space's border was a wall of forest, and the splintered tree trunks looked like broken pieces of wood pointing at the sky, the moonlight making them appear terrifying to look at. There were hardly any leaves or branches on these trees, the upper parts of them completely torn off, probably the result of a storm. The logs lying around the clearing like dead animals were rotten, and their decaying bark filled the air with the pungent smell of rotting plant material, and one such log close to Orquidea was billowing out a concentrated smell of the aroma. It was so powerful that it was enough to make her splutter. There was also the sound of rushing water for a nearby stream ran through the area. Orquidea had absolutely no idea of where she was but she dreaded to think of the answer to this question.

Orquidea then tried to raise a wing to her head but realised that it was stuck to her side. At this, the female blue-and-gold macaw's pink eyes darted down her side and when she saw some thick green tendrils run over her front, tightly binding her wings to her side and the hard surface, which was one of the ugly-looking splintered tree trunks, Orquidea drew in a sharp breath of horror. She was tied to the tree trunk, bound there by the thick tendrils. Desperately, Orquidea clamped her beak onto the top tendril nearest to her chin and tried to bite through it. However, the tendril resisted her beak. Orquidea tried again but still her beak wouldn't snap through the thick green rope-like piece. As Orquidea did that, she heard her name get called by a familiar voice. At this, her head snapped up and turned to the speaker. When she recognised the speaker, she drew in a sharp, horrified gasp.

"Nuvem, Esmeralda!" she called. Not too far away from her, a female great green macaw and a male Spix macaw were tied tightly to the trunk of another splintered and dead tree, a larger one, along with two Lear's macaws, two more green macaws, a hyacinth and a red macaw who Orquidea recognised was Alfonso, one of Felipe and Pearl's sons.

Nuvem and Esmeralda, along with the others with them, gazed back at Orquidea with shocked eyes. Then Orquidea began to question them.

"Do any of you have any idea of where we are?" she asked, her voice strangled by revulsion at the smell of rotting wood emanating from the fallen log beside her tree trunk. However, her hopes that they would know were crushed when all the macaws shook their heads.

"No," said a male great green macaw next to Esmeralda named Ted. However, a look in his eye suggested that the group was in a place where they did not want to be.

"When we recovered from our knockout," said Esmeralda, "The first thing we realised was we were tied to these ugly shells of trees."

"And these vines are too tough even for a hyacinth macaw like me to break through," said the hyacinth macaw. He struggled in his bounds. "These are honestly as tough as coconut shell fibres."

"Where's Ruby?" asked Orquidea desperately.

"She's tied to another dead tree with Waldo and Lapis Lazuli," said Nuvem, his gaze directed at said tree. However, Orquidea was tied on the opposite side from the tree on which Ruby, Lapis Lazuli and Waldo were tied. Esmeralda gazed at the glaucous macaw as she shuddered in the distance, her terror-filled blue eyes darting this way and that and frightened whimpers emanating from her beak.

"She's not gonna like this, I can tell you," she murmured, dreading what upcoming horror Lapis Lazuli was due to face. It was clear that the glaucous macaw wished that she was back with her family and tribe and friends, especially her mate Pluto and offspring. Then Ted turned to Orquidea.

"By the way," said he, "How did you end up here?"

"Well, the last thing I can remember was roaming the Bluewing Clan's territory searching for my son Enceladus after hearing what had happened to the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws from Clemont and Serena," explained Orquidea, "but during our search for him, we were attacked by some of those flying foxes and knocked out…"

As she said this, she felt a wave of dread crash against her and she stiffened and a look of horror came upon her face, her beak open and eyes wide.

"What is it?" asked Alfonso. Orquidea turned her dreaded gaze to Nuvem's group.

"Do you think we could be in those… um…" she began but she daren't mention the species of every Amazon bird's worst enemy but Nuvem, Esmeralda, Alfonso, Ted and the others knew who she was referring to. Then Esmeralda began to struggle.

"Well, I'd like to be outa here right now," she growled, "I don't wanna come face to face with those wretched furballs."

And with that she began to try and break through the thick vines. However, her beak could not penetrate the surface of the tendrils. She tried again but her beak still wouldn't snap through the tendril.

"It's no use, Esmeralda," said Nuvem, "These vines are too thick and strong."

"Yeah, too thick and strong for even me to break through," said the hyacinth macaw.

"Maybe these vines are intended to prevent us from escaping?" asked Alfonso. Giving up, Esmeralda released the vine tendril and looked up, a despairing sigh entering her beak. Orquidea also made a despairing look until a memory hit her. _Saturn, Ganymede, Clemont, Serena!_ Orquidea had begun to dread the demise of those four after she and Ruby were taken away from the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' now-former territory but as she pondered over this, the sounds of flapping wings reached the birds' ears, but they weren't from feathered wings. Accompanying the flapping noises were the sounds of talking.

"Someone's coming!" said Nuvem and with that, the birds all became quiet. Then seconds later, a small group of furry dog-faced forms with charcoal-black membranous wings resembling a human thing called umbrellas came into view. One of them was a brown male with a clouded right eye and a scarred face. Nuvem immediately recognised this flying fox and stiffened, as did the others, some making acidic scowls as this bat, Cicatriz, walked over to the birds, accompanied by six other flying foxes: Shinzon, Ratigan and four other bats, all large muscular males, which reminded some of the macaws that had lived with humans, like Ruby, of human thugs. As they approached their prisoners, Cicatriz was talking with Shinzon and Ratigan.

"Did you manage to catch any of those four-winged lizard-birds?" he asked. Ratigan shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid not, sir," he said, "They had proven more than a match for our capturers."

"Those bizarre birds seemed to have the remarkable mastery of fire as reported by the groups who went into their territory," said Shinzon, "The foragers and patrollers in particular. Some of them were armed with flames on sticks. Because of this, the plans to capture some of them have been called off due to the dangers involved."

"Especially if we are forced to use brutality to fight off the others to retrieve our darted targets," added Ratigan.

Cicatriz, at this, gave Ratigan and Shinzon a disappointed look but then he smiled evilly.

"It doesn't matter for now," he said, "We'll find out about those birds, as well as who they are, what they are and their origins from these macaws that you've managed to capture. After that, we'll figure out a way to deal with those four-winged feather-balls once the other bird tribes and clans are driven out."

Shinzon, Ratigan and the four hulking bats nodded in agreement and with that, the seven hideous furry creatures began to saunter closer to the tied up birds. Orquidea, her face laced with disgust, anger and pure hatred, squirmed in her restraints. Then as Cicatriz and his six companions stood before the birds, Cicatriz began to open up his speech.

"Well then, you feathered slugs," he crooned wickedly and scornfully, "Now that you've been captured and brought here, I'm afraid there's no way out… except through the next stage of your presence."

None of the birds said anything. Cicatriz paused dramatically and hardened his gaze. "And that is… INTERROGATION!" he added, shouting the last word as a form of intimidation to the macaws, and it proved effective. The way Cicatriz shouted this dreaded word sent shivers down the spines of some of the macaws and Orquidea felt her stomach churn. However, Cicatriz continued, this time in a sterner tone.

"Now, you lot will do EXACTLY as we tell you during the process," he said. "We have plenty of questions to ask you and we expect honest, complete answers to those questions."

"Yeah, we don't want silly stuff, denials or unimportant information or anything of the sort," added Shinzon, "Otherwise…"

He cut off dramatically. The macaws gazed back at the bats with sour or frightened looks on their faces.

"Otherwise?" repeated Nuvem in fearful confusion.

"Otherwise," said Cicatriz. However, he trailed off and smiled. "We'll get to that later."

This made some of the birds quiver more as they dreaded whatever heinous plan Cicatriz and his bats were planning to do to them during the interrogation process and they did not want to know anything about it. However, there was no way ANY of them was going to answer ANY question asked to them by these beastly bats, especially about their tribes, clans, their habitats and other things, but then the macaws realised that they were stuck in limbo. What were they to do now? There was definitely no way out and it only took a few moments for the macaws to realise that they were truly helpless. Then Orquidea began to beg Cicatriz about the safety of Saturn, Ganymede, Clemont and Serena.

"I have one question," she called, "My mate… a scarlet macaw friend's son… and the other two… are they alright? What did you do to them?"

Cicatriz turned back to Orquidea and gave her an unsympathetic and uncaring eye.

"I'm afraid that's not important, blue and yellow rodent," he said casually, much to Orquidea's disgust, distress and despair, "What's more important now is your upcoming interrogation from us…"

"About what?" retorted Orquidea brusquely as the deranged flying fox colony patriarch approached her more. Orquidea squirmed all the more, not wanting the hideous bat stepping another inch near her.

"You'll see when we start asking you our questions," replied Cicatriz. Orquidea released a frustrated hiss. However, she had already deduced what the flying foxes wanted to know.

"Shinzon," called Cicatriz, his face directed towards one of his minions. Shinzon hopped over.

"Yes, sir," said Shinzon obediently. Cicatriz's functioning left eye then travelled from him to Nuvem like a laser beam.

"Help Ratigan and the four strong bats over there to untie that Spix macaw from that tree and drag him to our interrogation area," commanded Cicatriz, "We'll start with him and the other two Spix macaws that you have managed to kidnap first."

Orquidea could only watch on as Shinzon, together with Ratigan and the four large muscular bats went over to Nuvem to remove him from his restraints. Two of the bats restrained the macaws on either side of the Spix macaw while the third, the fourth and Shinzon seized him. Nuvem's protests and angry squawks filled the air as he was forcibly removed from the restraints by the bats who did not care one bit of any potential injury this could entail the poor bird. Orquidea looked on with an enraged and terrified expression on her face while Cicatriz bore a nonchalant look.

"OW, that was my talon! CAREFUL YOU'D BREAK MY WING! YEEEOOOW!"

Then within moments, Nuvem was removed from his restraints. However he was fiercely restrained by Ratigan and the third and fourth thug-like bats who held him very firmly by the wings and talons to prevent him from freeing himself. Then with the struggling and screeching Nuvem in their grasp, the four muscular bats and Ratigan walked away with Shinzon following. The other birds could only watch as Nuvem was carried away. Orquidea then shot Cicatriz a disgusted look.

"You wanna know about our tribes and clans, don't you!?" she growled. However, Cicatriz walked away.

"I've no time to talk with you about unimportant things now, blue and yellow worm," he said nonchalantly and with that, he walked off after Shinzon and his four friends as they continued carrying Nuvem, who was still screeching and shouting, away, leaving a dumbfounded and despairing Orquidea to watch him leave.

 **The green tribe's home patch**

A large crowd of green macaws, with some odd colours sprinkled in the sea of green birds (cerulean and blue from the Spix macaws, red from the red macaws, dark navy blue from the hyacinth and Lear's macaws, grey and some blue or turquoise from the glaucous macaws, aqua blue, green and yellow from the blue-and-gold macaws, and darker blue and yellow from the blue-throated macaws, among other colourful dots from other birds including some archaeobirds), stood around a large tree. Inside this tree, Alonso and Verde were having a meeting with the other tribe and clan leaders and their inner circle birds, among them Blu and Jewel with Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus of the Spix macaws, Felipe, Pearl and Jupiter of the red tribe and so on. Also there were Andromeda, Eragon, Ophiuchus and his mate Honeydew, and Anakin and Spock. The leaders were all having a meeting, discussing about possible plans of action against the flying foxes. However, they could not seem to find an effective solution.

Somewhere in the colourful crowd, some of the macaws were talking. Carla, Bia and Tiago who were with their cousin Kira and friends Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, and Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Turquesa, Músculo and Garrett (who had been carried here due to his stubby tail) were talking with their non-Spix friends, among them red macaws Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, Io, Europa and Callisto with Byron, Estelle, Benjamin, Regina and Sheldon, blue-and-gold macaws Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Titan and Iapetus with Brooke, Porthos and Bastian, green macaws Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon with Aramis and Ash, and Lear's macaws Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan, blue-throated macaws Wilbur and Aurelio, glaucous macaws Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor and Neytiri and Aiden, and hyacinth macaws Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Victor of the Navyfeather Clan and Trixie from the destroyed Bluewing Clan. Also there were Alessandro and Rhiannon from the chestnut-fronted macaws, and Caspian and Citrine from the golden conures and Kiawe and Mariposa from the blue-headed macaws and also Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Diantha, Orion (who had been escorted from his hiding place with the birds by some of the green tribe's patrollers to the green tribe's territory for their safety) and Velocity.

When these macaws had met each other, there had been tearful reunions such as Titan and his siblings with Enceladus for they were glad to see each other again. However, some of the macaws had also been devastated and heartbroken. When Aurora had heard the news about her brother Sergio, she had been devastated. Neytiri had also been heartbroken by the death of her cousin Juan while Charon and his siblings, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette, and Tyler and Ricardo, Miranda and her siblings had been worried about Lapis Lazuli (the mother of Charon and his siblings), Waldo (the half-uncle to Phoebe and her sisters), Nuvem (Tyler and Ricardo's father) and Esmeralda (the mother of Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon and also Edmund). Titan and his siblings, meanwhile, had been worried for their parents who were found missing when Ignacio had brought Mimas and Iapetus back from the animal hospital while Io, Europa, Mimas and Callisto and Eustace's group were worried about Ganymede, Clemont and Serena and their whereabouts as well. There was indeed a mixed cloud of negative emotions having over the crowd and they continued to wait anxiously for the emergence of the tribe and clan leaders who were still discussing in the meeting tree.

"When Dad saw that Mom and Ganymede were missing," said Callisto, eating a piece of guava, "He had been fraught with worry and anxiety. He's been like that since then."

"I'm not surprised," said Mimas, "So have we with Mom and Dad." She then breathed a sigh. "I wonder where they are."

"I also wonder where Clemont and Serena are as well," added Eustace worriedly, "I hope they have not run into any trouble."

"And coming out with an injury," said Diantha.

"Huh, Orion and Rosa certainly have," muttered Milo and with that, he shot the male peregrine falcon and his sister a glare. Orion just sighed while Rosa said nothing. The scratch on Orion's belly was healing while the right side of Rosa's head, where she had been struck by one of the flying foxes with a stick during the skirmish leading to the kidnap of Esmeralda, Ted and some other macaws, had developed a bruise and a large lump forming at the exact point of impact. It was painfully tender and Rosa sometimes winced slightly and kept putting her wing to the area whenever it hurt. However she had been assured that the lump would go down in a few days. Orion and Velocity's bulbous eyes then travelled to the group of Spix macaws as they sat or loitered despairingly by a tree. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender, and especially Tyler and Ricardo wore worried and tearful looks as worries for Nuvem continued to churn in their minds; Aurora was leaning on Tyler's shoulder with his wing draped over hers, tears still streaming down her face over the death of her brother while Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Músculo, Garrett and Turquesa continued to chat.

"And I feel sorry for that lot over there," said Velocity, a pang of pity sparking within her, "Some of them having been victims to the antics of those bats."

"I didn't think that the stab injury Sergio suffered had been that bad," said Orion. At this, Callisto came in.

"Well, according to Glimmergem in the hospital," she said, "The stab wound proved fatal and Sergio didn't survive surgery, the injury was that bad."

The others breathed a sad sigh. Then Eustace moved onto something else.

"Were any of the archaeobirds targeted besides Spock the other day?" he asked.

"Well according to Andromeda who is in a meeting with the other tribe and clan leaders," said Callisto, "The archaeobird patrollers and foragers have had some incidences involving savage flying fox attacks and also those 'sleeping' plant paste-dipped porcupine quill darts you told us about knocking out some individuals and some of the bat-bird mounts, the foragers and patrollers had resorted to using torches to drive away the bats."

"The archaeobirds very rarely use their mastery of fire as a form of defence," said Io nearby, Sheldon sitting next to her, "And since those flying foxes have a strong aversion to fire, they were sent flying screaming their heads off so carrying torches proved effective."

"To bad we have a strong aversion to fire as well," said Sheldon in disappointment, "Especially after we have many forest fires in our history such as the two previous ones."

"The archaeobirds are very skilful in confining their use of fire indeed," said Europa who sat with Byron.

"It's amazing how they do it," said Alexandre who sat with Estelle, Phobos and Deimos. Then Callisto turned her gaze to Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan as they talked with Aurelio and Wilbur, Enceladus, Trixie, Caspian and Citrine. Nearby, Alessandro and Rhiannon were snoozing.

"And I'll never cease to be amazed at how brave Enceladus was in getting Trixie's family out of that massacre that went on in the Bluewing Clan's home grove while Trixie helped the non-trine and clan residents," said Callisto in awe.

"It sounded even worse than facing a flock of predatory bat-birds trying to eat you alive, honestly," said Milo with a shudder. The others all murmured in agreement.

With Phoebe's group, Phoebe, her sisters and her boyfriend were talking about how much the Lear's macaw tribe had valued their ravine.

"It has been our generation heirloom," she said.

"In fact, our ravine has always been that since our earliest ancestors moved in from the Bahia colony," said Jasmine.

"It's because of the holed sandstone cliff faces in which the majority of you make your homes" said Aurelio, "And also that grove of licuri palm trees situated in the ravine and the shelter the ravine itself provides, isn't it?"

"Licuri nuts form a large part of our diet," said Annette, "And that ravine is the ONLY place that has sandstone cliffs and a grove of licuri palm trees, two of our biggest requirements for our sustenance."

"And though our tribe has adapted to boarding our diet and sometimes nesting in trees," said Squaw'tagnan, "We still feed on licuri nuts as a main part of our diet and depend on sandstone cliffs to nest in."

"Not to mention that our ravine is now part of a protected reserve," added Jasmine.

"That is why the flying fox threat is so heavy on us," said Phoebe firmly, "And to add, since Uncle Waldo has been kidnapped by those bats, Aunt Monique, Mom and Dad have been under serious pressure and want a solution as soon as possible."

"But what would those flying foxes want a sandstone cliff-faced ravine and a grove of licuri palm trees for, anyway?" asked Wilbur confused.

"Anybody's guess," said Phoebe, "But all we know is, we are under serious threat of losing it."

"And that is the last thing our tribe needs," said Jasmine. Wilbur, Aurelio, Citrine, Caspian, Enceladus and Trixie all gazed back at the four Lear's macaws. It was absolutely true. The sandstone ravine meant an awful lot to the Lear's macaw tribe as it was the only place of shelter and food for miles. Furthermore, the Lear's tribe had contact with friends including their former enemies, the green macaw tribe.

"The Lear's macaws aren't gonna give up their ravine easily, I can tell you," said Caspian firmly.

"Neither will any of the other bird tribes and clans and our little groups," added Citrine.

"We can see why," said Wilbur. He then sighed as a tear came to his eye as he thought about his clan's and their co-inhabitant hyacinth Bluewing Clan's former home which was now occupied by the flying foxes. "But having said that," he murmured, "Although we're glad that Mom, Azul and Fernanda are alright at the hospital, we're still grieving the loss of our habitat."

"It has been HORRIBLE, honestly," said Trixie in a strangled voice.

"And now we're left to pick up the shattered pieces of our lives while those wretched furballs enjoy their newest addition to their territory," growled Aurelio with disgust.

"Just like how the birds of countless other tribes and clans driven out by the flying foxes had to do," added Wilbur.

"And if we've faced such savage loss of our home to the bats so easily," said Citrine, "What chance does any of the other tribes and clans have?"

Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan gazed at the colourful sea of birds as they continued waiting outside the meeting tree.

"Those flying foxes are capable of slaughtering an entire tribe of birds;" said Phoebe, "Think of how they had managed to drive out the glaucous macaw tribe when Aunt Lapis Lazuli was young."

"That's absolutely right," said Jasmine in a growl, "And that is why this is a serious issue, especially for us Lear's macaws."

The others nodded in agreement.

Not too far away, Charon, Quincy, Flor, Blueberry, Aiden and Neytiri were chatting with Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Victor. Victor sat nearby, fiddling with his fruit-shell hat, a sombre look on his face.

"You know something, folks," said Charon despairingly, "History is soon to repeat itself for us glaucous macaws eventually." He then gazed at the sea of birds and then at Carla's group. "If we can't find a solution to this flying fox threat…" he paused as his left eye leaked a tear, "All this land will soon belong to the bats."

"This is gonna be Mom's ordeal all over again, isn't it?" said Blueberry.

"It's already begun," said Quincy, "She's been kidnapped by some of those beastly furballs with membrane wings."

As he said this, Triton furiously slammed a talon onto the floor, an angry grunt escaping his beak.

"Those furballs honestly have blocked ears and stubborn intentions," he growled, his navy blue feathers bristled and blue eyes ablaze with rage, "And despite peaceful protests like the sending of the messages, nothing seems to work."

Indigo, Victor, Penelope, Flor and Neytiri all gazed up at him and had to agree. Neytiri then continued to grieve the loss of her cousin Juan while the others fell silent. However, that moment of silence was shattered by an uproar starting. At this, the group of hyacinth and glaucous macaws all popped their heads up and gazed at the multi-coloured sea of feathers. Phoebe, Callisto and Carla's groups did the same. Phobos and Deimos stood up while Alessandro and Rhiannon were jolted awake.

"NOW WHAT'S UP!" barked Phobos angrily. Orion then saw some feathered comets make a beeline for the meeting tree.

"I don't know," he said, "But it ain't good."

"It sounds serious," said Velocity. Then without hesitation, the wings of Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos, Byron, Sheldon, Estelle, Io, Europa and Callisto shot out and within moments, they had all lofted into flight. Titan, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Iapetus and Mimas followed, along with Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon while Porthos, Brooke, Bastian, Aramis, Ash and Benjamin and Regina remained behind. Alessandro and Rhiannon, together with Kiawe and Mariposa, walked up to the group.

"I hope it's not what I think it is," said Mariposa with dread. The others only replied with agreeing glares on their faces which read 'I hope not'.

At the meeting tree, Alonso, Blu, Jewel, Andromeda, Eragon, Felipe, Jupiter and Mercury emerged with some of the other leaders and inner circle birds after hearing the commotion outside. As Alonso went over to the crowd to address them, he was met by some macaws, a mixed group of Lear's, Spix, green, red and blue-and-gold macaws, who had rocketed in. These macaws had been patrolling the outskirts of the green tribe's home grove. As they touched down before Alonso, they gazed at the green tribe patriarch with alarmed looks on their faces. Blu, Jewel and Andromeda walked in, surprised to see the alarmed patrol group.

"Alonso," cried one of the green macaws, Luis. Alonso gazed back at him.

"What's the problem?" he asked as Blu, Jewel and Andromeda joined him, their faces asking the same question. Then a blue-and-gold macaw stepped forward.

"There are some flying foxes approaching the grove," she said. The moment these words escaped her beak, alarm and fury tore through the leaders and inner circle birds. Zephyr walked in with Venus, a look of thunder on his face.

"Oh, NOOOO!" he bellowed.

"And just when we thought things couldn't get any worse," muttered Blu.

"Just when we were discussing the problem and all," muttered Andromeda. The archaeobird clan matriarch had been completely swamped by stress of the flying fox situation since it started to escalate. The other inner circle and leading birds all exchanged glances and Roberto began to shudder while Brisa looked on with dread. Mercury, Sapphire and Monique all released groans of despair while Jupiter, Mars, Chiquitita, Felipe and Pearl stood there with thunderous looks also on their faces. Then Eragon asked Luis and his twin brother Lewin, "How many are there?"

"It's only a small group," replied Lewin, "They're too distant for an accurate count but I'd say around five or six."

"Two of them are large while the remainders were small white creatures and they've got some sort of green leaf hammocks in their clutches," said a green-winged macaw. At this, the leaders and inner circle birds exchanged glances. Not too far away, Carla and company hovered.

"Take us there to meet them RIGHT AWAY!" bellowed Alonso. The patrol group nodded and darted off. Then the air was flooded with the sounds of flapping of dozens of wings as all the leaders and upper-ranking birds took off. Andromeda and Eragon whistled for their bat-bird mounts and hopped onto them. Then Rouge (Andromeda's bat-bird) and Eragon's bat-bird both took off at their owners' command. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender, Tyler and Ricardo, followed while Aurora, Turquesa and Músculo stayed behind with Garrett who was still unable to fly properly due to his tattered tail when Velocity, Orion, Eustace, Milo, Rosa and Diantha intercepted them.

"Do you guys know what this is all about?" asked Eustace.

"Some flying foxes approaching the grove," said Carla, moments before Rhiannon and Alessandro, together with the blue-and-gold macaws led by Titan, the red macaws led by Io and the green macaws led by Miranda appeared. The moment their ears received these words, horror tore through them.

"NO!" cried Rhiannon in disbelief.

"You're kidding!" added Alessandro. None of the others aid anything. Then Io accelerated on.

"Well, I'm willing to find out what those bats want," she said, with Europa, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, Sheldon, Byron and Estelle following.

"If it's something serious," added Sheldon, "We would like to know."

The Spix macaws and Eustace's group all exchanged glances and followed. Moments later, a small crowd of macaws and archaeobirds had gathered on the outskirt trees of the green tribe's home patch. Ophiuchus, who stood by Andromeda and Eragon on his bat-bird, gazed at the incoming group of flying foxes as they melted out of the dark jungle, their forms flashing in the moonlight shafts. There were indeed five flying foxes and three of them were young white bats while the other two were adults, one brown and the other red-brown, almost auburn. Dangling under the bats were two large green sheets similar to leaf-hammocks. Around Ophiuchus, the macaws got prepared for action.

"Here they come, folks," commanded Alonso as Soleado, Verde and Zoie perched on either side of him, all three prepared for action, "The moment those bats approach us, pounce on them and seize them."

"Yes, Alonso," said Blu as he, Jewel, Roberto, Zephyr, Venus and Brisa took up ready stances. Next to them, Felipe, Pearl, Jupiter, Mars, Chiquitita, and Neptune, Ultramarine, Flavio, Marinho, Mercury, Sapphire and Monique also got prepared to attack but then Mars noticed something familiar about the flying foxes. At this, his eyes lit up. Elsewhere, Rudi, Pluto from the glaucous macaw tribe, and Reynaldo and Anita from the blue-throated macaw clan also took up ready poses. While the tribe and clan leaders prepared to attack, Carla and her group appeared with Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Diantha, Orion and Velocity. At this, Jupiter shot them an annoyed look.

"What are you lot doing her!?" he asked angrily, "Return to the grove will you!?"

"Those flying foxes could be very dangerous!" added Reynaldo. Diantha was about to protest when suddenly, Mars's voice rang out.

"Wait, everyone, don't attack!" he called. At this, all eyes turned to him.

"What are you talking about, Mars," barked Alonso furiously.

"Don't you realise that those bats are intruders?" added Felipe. Then Roberto recognised the five bats' faces.

"Aren't they…" he began.

"Augustus and his family," shouted Mars, finishing Roberto's sentence. Then Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre felt recognition come over them. The incoming bats were the same bats that had rescued Mars from certain kidnap the other day, and Ophiuchus recognised the adolescent white male and adult brown male as well. It was then that Jupiter saw a flash of colour in the large green leaf hammocks the bats were carrying. As he fluttered upward to get a better glimpse of the contents in the hammocks, he drew in a sharp and horrified gasp.

"SATURN, GANYMEDE!" he barked. Eustace, Milo and Rosa then saw some flashes of white in the other hammock.

"SERENA, CLEMONT!" bellowed Eustace and with that, he and his brother and sister darted off, Orion, Velocity, Jupiter and Diantha following. The others, including the leaders, also opened their wings and took off. As the flock of birds approached them, the flying foxes, which were indeed Augustus, his mate Melissa and offspring Sebastian, Stella and Luna, looked up and then gently lowered the hammocks onto a large broad branch. Augustus and Melissa's hammocks contained Saturn and Ganymede while Sebastian and his sisters carried the other one containing Clemont and Serena. After the hammocks had been lowered, the five flying foxes backs away to allow a cloud of colourful feathers to reach the quartet. Saturn, Ganymede, Clemont and Serena all sat up in time to be swallowed up by a sea of colourful wings. Titan, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Iapetus hugged Saturn while Jupiter, together with Mars, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Io, Europa and Callisto, went for Ganymede. Clemont and Serena, meanwhile, were hugged by Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Diantha, Orion and Velocity. Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna looked on with remorseful looks on their faces. They had something important to tell the birds.

While Eustace and company, together with Carla and her siblings, cousin and friends, swallowed Clemont and Serena in a group hug before pulling away, Eustace felt alarm tear through him when he saw some gashes run across Clemont's belly. These gashes had healed up by now and were nothing more than a set of crusty streaks slashing through the white plumage of Clemont's stomach. Serena, meanwhile, bore a black eye, a ring of blue-black surrounding her left eye. Saturn and Ganymede, meanwhile, were covered in a few cuts and bruises and the area around Saturn's neck was blooming with blue-black blotches under the yellow and dark aqua blue feathers, evidence that he had been strangled. Then after breaking the hug with his son, Jupiter shot Ganymede a glare.

"Where have you been!?" he demanded, "And… what has happened to you!?"

Soleado then approached Saturn, Clemont and Serena, an awful expression on his face. Titan and the others moved out of the way as the blue-and-gold tribe patriarch went right up to their ashamed father and shoved his beak into Saturn's face.

"What have I said about you leaving our territory into the Bluewing Clan's, Saturn?" he asked. Saturn did not know how to reply to this but Soleado swept on. "Don't you realise that you've just disobeyed a direct order to stay within the boundary of our territory?"

"Honestly, Saturn, you could have been killed!" added Blu in the background. Then Zoie shot Clemont and Serena a look.

"Not to mention you both," she said, "And I can see you've got quite a nasty scratch across your belly, Clemont."

Clemont and Serena, at this, flinched as shame and guilt stung them like bees while Saturn could not reply for shame had stuck his tongue in his mouth and blocked the flow of words. Then Titan came in.

"Dad," said he, "Where's Mom?"

"And also your mother, Ganymede," demanded Jupiter. In the background, Io, Europa, Callisto, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Iapetus looked on, their faces asking the same question. At this, Ganymede, Saturn, Clemont and Serena gazed back at the crowd of macaws before tears welled in their eyes and they began to weep. Outside the crowd of macaws and other birds, Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna each breathed a remorseful sigh each and turned away.

"There's a lot we need to discuss," said Augustus slowly. Melissa then shot Jupiter, Io, Europa, Callisto and Titan and his siblings a saddened look, before gazing at the other birds.

"But you're not gonna like this," she murmured, "Especially you guys."

She aimed her nod to Jupiter and Titan who gazed back at her with dreaded looks on their faces.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27- explanations and suspicions**

A brown and black comet shot through the air with a vermillion comet with teal and yellow wings in hot pursuit. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, together with Saturn, Titan, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione and Iapetus, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Diantha, Orion and Velocity, stood with Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian cowering behind them as they watched as Jupiter furiously chased Augustus through the air, screeching furiously at the top of his lungs. Nearby, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira stood with Blu, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa and Justin, Jojo, Tyler and their siblings while Alonso, Felipe and the other clan and tribe leaders and inner circle birds stood back watching the scene with immense surprise and fear. Ganymede and his sisters and 'cousins' including Carla, Bia and Tiago were especially terrified. They had never seen Jupiter this furious before and his outburst was even more violent than Felipe's and even Eduardo's occasional temper explosions. Furthermore, Jupiter's outburst even startled Felipe and Pearl and they shuddered.

When Augustus had finished explaining what had happened during the confrontation with Ruby, Saturn, Ganymede, Clemont and Serena in the now-former Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' territory alongside his colony-mates including Voldemort and Cruella, Jupiter had immediately exploded into such a volcanic rage that he had leaped at and tackled the flying fox off the branch without a second thought. Now he was savagely chasing the terrified bat around the night trees, spewing the most acidic words and threats he had ever formulated in his life and threatening to use his claws and talons full force once he got hold of him. He truly was like the biggest storms of his namesake planet and his burning brown eyes were like lightning bolts and Carla, Bia and Tiago had come to the conclusion that if Jupiter were one of the Emotion characters from a certain Pixar film, he'd be the emotion whose head ignites whenever he got angry but instead, Jupiter would be entirely engulfed in flames.

"HOW COULD YOU LET THOSE SAVAGE DOG-FACED FURBALLS DO THIS TO MY MATE AND SON!?" bellowed the apoplectic vermillion scarlet macaw as he shot past Blu, Jewel, Monique, Mercury, Sapphire and Andromeda as he chased Augustus, forcing them to duck. "HOW COULD YOU AND YOUR FAMILY JUST STAND BACK AND LET THEM JAB THEM, ALONG WITH THOSE TWO COCKATOOS AND MY BLUE-AND-GOLD MACAW FRIEND AND HIS MATE AND KNOCK 'EM OUT!?"

Augustus bellowed in terror and pain as Jupiter rammed into his stomach.

"Good grief," murmured Jewel as the six rose back up from their duck. "He's even worse than my father."

Blu shuddered as he remembered once being on the receiving end of his father-in-law's wrath. But Jupiter's wrath was worse, much worse, and seeing him in this immense outburst made him tremble all over. Jupiter lashed at Augustus's feet and tried to clamp his beak onto it to inflict injury but Augustus dodged and flew on.

"LOOK, LISTEN, I CAN EXPLAIN!" protested Augustus but Jupiter was too blinded by immense rage to stop and think. With an extremely enraged, ear-piercing screech, he lashed his talons at Augustus's face and tried to slash his claws over it but Augustus dodged, releasing a startled, terrifying shriek before flying on. Some of the macaws cheered for Jupiter and shouted all kinds of suggestions to him on how to attack Augustus.

"Rake your claws through his wing membranes!"

"Break his wings!"

"Claw his face in!"

However, some of the others tried to break through Jupiter's giant hurricane wall of fury to snap him out of his rage.

"Uncle Jupiter, come on!" cried Eustace as Jupiter chased Augustus past him but Jupiter didn't listen. Then with a savage tackle, Jupiter flung the flying fox against a tree trunk and slammed a talon square onto his neck to the point of completely cutting off Augustus's breathing. Augustus writhed under the vice-grip of Jupiter's talon but Jupiter refused to slacken it. His eyes were brown firestorms and his feathers were puffed out. Behind him, Ganymede came up.

"Come on, Dad, snap out of it," he cried, "I'm sure him and his mate and three pups have a reason for this."

And with that he stole a glance at Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna who continued to duck behind Eustace and company, too frightened to intervene. Jupiter did not hear his son's voice and continued strangling Augustus whose movements were beginning to slow. His eyes were bulging out of their sockets and his mouth was wide open as he struggled for breath while his membranous wings were firmly gripped onto Jupiter's iron talon desperately trying to pry it off of his neck but to no avail. Seeing that his father was not hearing him, Ganymede tried to approach him more to protest louder.

"Dad, PLEASE!" he begged but Jupiter's wing rose and without thinking, the still-enraged vermillion macaw gave his own son a hefty shove in the chest. Ganymede, with a surprised gasp, stumbled backwards and fell on his back, before clasping his wings onto where Jupiter's wing had made contact. It was aching somewhat but it was enough to make him weep. Then Saturn came in with Io, Europa and Callisto to help him to his feet.

"Seriously, Jupiter, you need to get your act together," he barked. He then led Ganymede, who was beginning to cry, away, Ganymede's three sisters following. Then Andromeda came forward. She had a method that she regretted choosing but it was the only thing she could think of to effectively snap Jupiter out of his enraged frenzy. Without hesitation, she stormed up to the still-enraged scarlet macaw who still had the struggling Augustus wedged under his foot and the method she applied stunned everyone.

"SNAP OUT OF IT, YOU NITWIT!" bellowed the archaeobird and with that, she raised a wing hand and slapped Jupiter across the face with it. She did it another few more times, throwing Jupiter's head back and forth with each impact. Jupiter, stunned by the pain from each slap, released Augustus and stumbled away. Jewel prepared to jump at Jupiter in case his wrath was still burning but when she saw that the fires in Jupiter's eyes die down, she lowered her guard cautiously. Jupiter then stared with a stunned and stressed look at Andromeda and Augustus, who was now slumped onto a branch and drawing in a huge lungful air and choking. Warily and guiltily, Jupiter backed away before turning round and retreated to a quiet spot in a nearby tree, trembling and flooded with immense distress. Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna came in with Jewel and Carla and helped the shaky and still-gasping Augustus to his feet.

"Good job, Andromeda," said Jewel firmly, "You've managed to quell Jupiter's fury."

As she said this, Alonso, Soleado, Monique, Reynaldo and Rudi appeared while everyone else gathered round Augustus to listen. Seeing the opportunity to explaining everything now, especially after he had got his breath back, Augustus seized it without further hesitation.

"We… we would have rescued those two blue-and-gold macaws, two scarlet macaws and those two crested parrots," said he, "But that would only have been possible if we weren't surrounded by so many of our colony-mates."

"Like how we rescued one of your green-winged macaw friends from getting kidnapped," added Melissa and with that, she flashed a gaze at Mars to refer to him. All ears then cocked to Augustus and his family as they continued to explain.

"But why didn't you act when you saw Saturn, Ganymede, Clemont, Serena, Ruby and Orquidea in the Bluewing Clan's former territory?" asked Soleado, "And prevent them from getting injured and then jabbed with those porcupine spines dipped with knockout plant paste resulting in their getting knocked out?"

"Not to mention your colony-mates subsequently making off with Ruby and Orquidea shortly after that," added Blu firmly. Melissa went up to the audience of birds. Nearby, Jupiter listened in, a look of serious distress plastering his face. He was trembling like a leaf and from that facial look, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and their friends could see that he was on the verge of heartbreak and entering another meltdown.

"Well, had we intervened," said Melissa, "It would blow our cover of our allegiance to you birds. Do you know what would have happened if we did that?"

The birds said nothing, only gazing back at Melissa with stunned looks. Augustus then continued.

"Our colony-mates would put us to death there and then," said he, "And with us out of the way, you lot wouldn't stand a chance, at all, against our colony. Our colony is very sly and cunning, especially in regards to planning to grab land from their next target tribe or clan of birds. Therefore, you guys need a double agent to help you in this impending war and without one; you'd be at a serious disadvantage."

Exchanges of confused glances rolled through the crowd. Then Blu began to ask Augustus a question.

"But… you're the younger brother of Cicatriz and the second son of the late and previous colony leaders Bruto and Sombra," he said, "Why are you… not like the other flying foxes who detest us birds and see us as nothing but vermin that deserve to be driven out and their land for the taking?"

Augustus shot the formerly domesticated Spix macaw a dark look.

"Our colony doesn't just see you birds as vermin and wastes-of-space that deserve to be violently driven out," he said, "There's a deeper reason under that."

"What is the deeper reason?" asked Jewel and Roberto together. But nothing could prepare the birds for what came out of his mouth next. Augustus made a sorrowful look at the crowd of birds.

"They actually blame you for everything that affects the colony in a negative way," he said, "Such as habitat loss from logging which we have faced for years… poaching problems… forest fires including the two previous ones… among other things."

At this, horrified and flabbergasted gasps rolled through the crowd.

"You're JOKING!" shouted Felipe. However, the look on Augustus and Melissa's faces confirmed that they weren't. Stunned, Felipe staggered backwards while Jewel and Pearl almost fainted. Blu, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and also Uranus, Neptune and Pluto felt immense disgust tear through them while some of the others, such as Andromeda, felt utterly nauseated at this revelation.

"It's been a teaching of our colony about you birds for generations," added Augustus, timid eyes darting from one bird to another as though he expected them to jump at him and attack him like how Jupiter did, "We don't know how and when it started but… that's all we know."

"That is what motivates our colony in driving out so many bird tribes and clans," added Melissa, "and most of us actually enjoy doing that," she breathed a sad sigh, "Because of that immense motivation, so many bats have died as a result, and you know why…"

She opened her large membranous wings and then nodded to the talons and beaks of the macaws.

"And that's not the only thing," she added, closing her large cloak-like skin wings, "Young pups are taught these lies about you birds as well."

"They also have fighting classes in which they train pups to fight you birds," added Sebastian. He then nodded to Stella and Luna to fetch a stick to reinforce what he was talking about. The twin sisters left and within moments they returned with a stick. Sebastian took it and showed it to the birds. "In those, pups are given sharp-sticks or other weapons like this, if you imagine one end of this stick to be sharpened to a sharp tip, and they practice on bird dummies made from fruit, plants and seeds and bludgeon them with these weapons. I have attended several of those classes when I was young but I did not like them one bit."

"And after that," said Augustus, "When a pup reaches adolescence, he or she is taken out on a trip to attack a bird to earn their first trophy. You'll have seen those clusters of feathers most of our colony-mates have on their weapons."

"Yes," said Blu.

"Just continue," said Felipe slightly bossily.

"Well, those feathers, usually wing or tail flight feathers, are taken from a victim the owner of the weapon has killed," said Melissa. "If a group of flying foxes have participated in killing a bird, each individual in that group harvests a feather each."

Venus, at this, had images of such clusters flash through her mind when she actually met a group of flying foxes for the first time. Roberto also had images of his family's murderers harvesting the feathers of his deceased family and adding them to their trophies. At this, he felt a wave of disgust tear through him. In the crowd, Enceladus and Trixie shuddered as well, and Enceladus, together with Trixie's brothers Buddy and Matheus, had actually seen Trixie's mother's murderer take one of her wing feathers during the night of the siege. Then Augustus and Melissa's eyes caught sighted Reynaldo and Anita standing next to Alonso and Verde.

"Oh, you two leaders of the blue-throated macaw clan," said Augustus, "We owe you and any survivors of the hyacinth Bluewing Clan and the other birds that lived with you a sincere apology," he and Melissa shuddered and began to shed a few tears, "We're sorry about what our colony has done to you last night but I know that won't be enough. We weren't aware of Cicatriz and the invaders' early plans to invade your land but by the time we found out, it was too late to warn you."

"Had we been aware of that sooner," added Melissa, "We would have warned you right away and you wouldn't have faced so many tragic deaths and deep scars inflicted on you by those invaders…"

As he said this, Cobalto, together with Aurelio and Wilbur, came forward.

"I don't think you realise what _damage_ it has caused the remaining members of our clans and groups," he said firmly. "My mate, who is in the animal hospital, is likely gonna have a large scar across her forehead and down her left side because of what happened the other night."

"Not to mention the emotional trauma that's likely to leave Mom scarred for life," added Wilbur.

"In addition to the fact that over three-quarters of Violeta and Demetrio's clan had been slaughtered by those marauding furballs," added Aurelio disgustedly.

"Just for protecting the smaller and more vulnerable clan of critically endangered birds that is us," said Anita who stood next to Reynaldo. Augustus and Melissa both broke down and wept hard. They knew that the damage, especially emotional damage, inflicted on the blue-throated macaws and any surviving Bluewing Clan macaws would likely be permanent.

"I still CANNOT believe that your colony would aim the blame of the problems they frequently face at the Amazon birds such as us," said Blu in disgust.

"Especially if they're using those lies to drive out countless bird tribes, clans and groups," added Jewel. Augustus looked at the pair with tear-filled eyes.

"I'm afraid it's true," he said.

"Are there any other flying foxes in the colony against those lies?" asked Mars, "That is, those who disagree with the teachings and the fighting classes?"

"There is, yes but they're few and far between," said Augustus, "Furthermore, there's the fear of death that hangs above us like a storm cloud."

"If you're a flying fox that is against those anti-bird teachings in our colony," said Melissa, Stella and Luna flanking her, "You're not only treated as an outcast and a coward but you risk losing your life for interacting positively with birds…" another tear came to her eye but for a different reason and her voice became splintered and quivery. "It has happened before that flying foxes have died because of their helping of birds rather than slaughtering them, and one such bat is my cousin Lily."

"Lily?" repeated Blu in surprise. At the mention of the name, Jupiter raised his head and gazed at Augustus in his family in surprise. Melissa then launched into an explanation about this flying fox.

"Lily was my cousin," she said, "The only daughter of my Mom's sister, my aunt Eclipse. Like me and Augustus, she was against the anti-bird teachings and hated the fighting classes. However, she did not just stop at that. She actually went much further than just disagreeing with those teachings and took helping innocent birds and protecting them from slaughter from her colony-mates to a whole new level."

The avian audience listened as Melissa continued.

"Anyway, when she was a pup, Lily was caught in a poacher's trap during an outing with a class of pups into the jungle when she wandered away from them and got lost. However, she was rescued by some parakeets who then took her into their group. There, Lily made friends with some chicks and adult birds which further solidified her hatred of our colony's teachings."

"Let me get this straight," interrupted Alonso, "Your cousin was actually _close friends_ with a group of parakeets?"

"She was," said Melissa, "Very close indeed, almost like siblings in fact. Anyway, continuing, Lily began to spend more and more time with her bird friends, making friends with more species such as a few Spix and red macaws and eventually, a few more flying foxes, among them Ana and Marcus, who were close friends with my cousin, joined the group."

"Then as Lily became an adult and had witnessed the savage siege on the parakeet group that her rescuers lived in," continued Melissa, "She finally snapped and decided to completely rebel against the colony. How she did that? She decided to help protect birds with her friends including Ana and Marcus."

"And that's when she established an underground secret hiding place that none of the other flying foxes apart from her friends including me knew about," said Augustus.

"What hiding place was this?" asked Blu.

"It was an enormous underground cavern that had a network of tunnels extending from it," said Melissa, "Perfect for keeping birds safe and away from the murderous intentions of most of the colony. Lily had kept a large variety of birds in that hidden place. Among the species were some particularly rare and endangered species of bird such as Cuban red macaws…" as she said this, Blu mouthed this in confusion while Saturn, Mercury, Venus and Mars, together with Uranus, Neptune and Pluto who stood in the crowd, shook their heads in disbelief.

"…A couple of families of Spix macaws… and some other bird species that have not yet been discovered by humans, such as that group of magenta-and-pink macaws and neon coloured macaws," said Melissa. As she said this, Jupiter came up to her. Augustus backed away, expecting him to lash out at him again.

"Cuban red macaws?" he murmured, "But… those macaws are extinct."

"Yeah, they did out well over a hundred years ago," said Blu. Melissa gazed from Jupiter to Blu.

"There is a small group of them still alive here," she said, "But they are descended from a group of Cuban macaws that had managed to migrate south to the Amazon rainforest from Cuba…"

At this, Jupiter's mind began to have flashbacks. He had a fuzzy image of a group of birds gazing at him, along with three furry faces. They were blurry but Jupiter could clearly tell that they were a group of birds and a group of bats.

"…But then a couple of years ago," said Melissa, her voice falling to a tearful one once again. "Something tragic happened…"

"What happened?" asked Blu. The others continued to listen. Melissa gazed back at them with tears falling from her eyes.

"Some of Cicatriz's spies somehow managed to sneak after us and discover our hiding place;" she said in an edgy voice, "And after their reporting of Lily's antics to Cicatriz and Iracebeth, Lily was seized and then brought before the colony leaders…"

However, she began to break down. Augustus went over to her to comfort her and continue to story.

"And that was when she died," said Augustus, "She was brutally slaughtered in front of the colony. As for those birds, Marcus and Ana, they had managed to escape but where they went is anybody's guess. We never witnessed Lily's death but our friends told us about it…"

This sent waves of immense sympathy splashing through the crowd of birds and some were in so much shock that they could not believe their ears.

"So there ARE some flying foxes who care about us," said Monique in disbelief.

"And some who are even willing to risk their lives to protect birds, especially those of critically endangered species, from their colony-mates' murderous tendencies based on those lies about us being the cause of the disasters that affected the colony," said Blu. Jewel then decided to take things back to the main flight path where they left off.

"Sorry to interrupt but," she said, "What are those bats going to do with the kidnapped macaws?"

"Such as my and Brisa's cousin Nuvem and Alfonso who is one of Felipe's sons," said Zephyr, "and now Saturn's mate and Jupiter's mate?"

Tyler and Ricardo, Benjamin and Regina looked on with sorrowful eyes as did Felipe and Pearl. Augustus gave Zephyr and the other birds a very dark look.

"They're gonna interrogate them," he replied, "They want to know about your tribes and clans, your habitats," he then gazed at Andromeda who stood with Ophiuchus, Spock and Anakin, "And also those bizarre four-winged lizard-like birds and most importantly," his gaze returned to the sea of macaws and other birds, "why your territories have not seen logging or poaching for years and the only way they do that is to force the kidnapped birds into giving them information."

"How are they going to interrogate those kidnapped macaws?" asked Orion curiously, the others looking on with dreaded looks. Augustus then made another dark look. However, he did not want to go into detail about the terrible processes but he managed to think of a way to summarise it.

"Through extreme and brutal torture," he said, "I-I-I won't describe it but that's what they're gonna do to them."

This sent immense dread flowing through the crowd like another wave and some of them began to shudder. Saturn, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Titan and Iapetus began to worry for Orquidea while Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto began to worry for Ruby. Felipe and his family and also Zephyr, Venus, Brisa, Roberto and their offspring worried for Alfonso and Nuvem and Pluto's family shuddered at the thought of Lapis Lazuli. Mercury, Sapphire, Monique, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette also shuddered as they thought about Waldo. While the macaws were troubled by this, Augustus continued.

"Torture has always been used as a way by our colony in obtaining information about a targeted bird tribe or clan and their land," he said, "They very rarely use any other method. Oh and there's another thing you need to know…"

At this, all ears prepared to receive the next piece of important information.

"When my and Cicatriz's mom and dad, Sombra and Bruto," said Augustus, "led our colony, they did actually want to invade your territories even after the truce between them and our colony, and you birds have been made…"

This sent disbelief tearing through the crowd.

"Never," cried Felipe.

"I thought they had stuck to the truce and prevented their bats from wandering into our land," added Alonso.

"That is true but they still had in mind to drive you flocks out and take your land," said Melissa, "But they never really got down to applying it. They haven't done so for years due to the colony's targets being some other bird clans…"

"Bruto and Sombra never really got down to applying those plans of invasion for the rest of their lives since the truce had been made," said Augustus, "But when Bruto, my and Cicatriz's father, was on his deathbed and had passed his leadership role to Cicatriz and Iracebeth, he had told them he had hoped that they (Cicatriz and his mate) would eventually set to the plans he (Bruto), and his mate Sombra had set up; that is, the plans of invading you tribes and clans' territory and driving you lot out…"

"Well, we're so glad to have kept a constant eye on our border to your colony's land then," said Alonso.

"Looks like our doubt of our trust in Sombra and Bruto in keeping to the truce had been for good reason as well," added Soleado.

"We have never trusted that truce my mate's parents had made with you flocks anyway," said Melissa. Augustus nodded in agreement while Sebastian, Stella and Luna just stood there. Then Augustus felt it was time to go. He rose to his feet, a serious look on his face.

"We'd better be off," he said, "Cicatriz will be wondering where we are and we don't want to rouse any suspicions and blow our allegiance to you birds."

"Or else we could face the same demise as my cousin Lily," said Melissa. She gazed at the dark jungle as though expecting some flying fox spies to come out at them. Before leaving, Augustus said, "But in the meantime, I want you lot to decide on an effective rescue plan to get those kidnapped macaws out of the colony's territory."

"And make sure that you formulate one as quickly as possible as well," added Melissa as she gathered Stella, Luna and Sebastian together, "You've got until sundown of tomorrow to have that plan ready."

"Okay," said Alonso, some of the other leaders such as Blu, Jewel, Pearl and Felipe standing around him. None of the others said anything.

"And after this, we'll discuss the next stage but that river won't be tackled until we come to it," said Augustus as he prepared to drop from the branch to enter flight, "Until then, we'll see you tomorrow evening."

And with that, he nodded to Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian and with that, the five bats all took off, flashing a 'good luck' glance at the birds as they disappeared into the dark jungle. The crowd of macaws, archaeobirds and other birds were left in a moment of silence at first but then Alonso broke it.

"Alright, everyone," he shouted for all to hear, "Let's return to our territories and get some sleep. We've got some very important tasks to deal with, starting tomorrow morning."

And with that, the crowd began to disperse. As the night air became flooded with the sounds of flapping wings, Jupiter flew along with Io, Europa and Callisto. Ganymede was flying with Saturn and Titan and his siblings for he was still upset at Jupiter for pushing him over while he was blinded by fury at Augustus. Jupiter shot Ganymede a guilty look while Io, who was being carried by Callisto for she was still unable to fly with her tattered wing, wore a mistrustful look on her face.

"I'm not sure if we should trust that bat and his family to be honest," she muttered, "I had a feeling that he was planning some sort of trap."

"We have to," said Europa nearby, "We don't have a choice."

Just then Callisto heard Jupiter murmur something under his breath.

"What is it, Dad?" she asked. At this, Jupiter snapped out of his thoughts and gazed at her.

"Oh, it was… nothing, daughter," he replied, "Just repeating 'Cuban red macaw' and 'Lily' and mulling over something."

The name 'Lily', along with the names 'Ana' and 'Marcus' did eerily sound familiar and Jupiter had meant to ask Melissa about those bats and the hiding place. However, he eventually pushed those thoughts away.

"Let's just return to the red tribe's territory and get some rest," murmured Jupiter to his daughters, "We've got some important things to deal with tomorrow."

He said this with an edgy voice and Io, Europa and Callisto immediately knew why; Jupiter was missing Ruby already and was wracked with worry of what horror she was about to face with the other kidnapped macaws. Augustus had refused to mention what he meant by 'torture' but Jupiter did not want to think about that one bit. Furthermore, he was painfully worried about Lapis Lazuli who had suffered a traumatic experience with the flying fox colony when she was young and her tribe had lost their original home. His mind clouded by the storms of worry and stress, Jupiter followed the other red macaws in the direction of the red tribe's territory, Io, Europa and Callisto in tow.

 **Later**

It was now past midnight. The near-full moon continued hovering in the star-studded sky, bathing the jungle below it in a mass of silver. In his family's tree, Cicatriz was sat outside the hollow, his left eye gazing out into the night. He wore a grumpy look on his face and was very fidgety. Something was on his mind but it was something he didn't like and it was concerning a certain family member of his. Cicatriz's mate Iracebeth had been sent on a search mission with some other bats such as Shinzon, Ratigan and Cruella a few hours ago after Voldemort had reported him and his family missing longer than usual and now that search party had been looking for those five flying foxes since then. In their room inside Cicatriz's family's hollow, Iago and Veruca were sound asleep, both hanging from a root in their room as all bats did when they rested. While Cicatriz continued gazing into the night air, he finally heard his name get called by a familiar female voice.

"Cicatriz!" she shouted. At this, the scar-faced bat turned his functioning left eye in the direction of the shouter who melted out of the shadows and into the silvery moonlight, several other flying foxes behind her.

"Any luck, Iracebeth?" asked Cicatriz as the shouter, his mate Iracebeth, slowed to a hover before him, the other bats including Ratigan, Shinzon and Cruella, close behind. All the searchers wore disappointed looks on their faces.

"Not a sign, dear," replied Iracebeth, "We can't find him, his mate and his son and two daughters anywhere."

"That is confusing," added Cruella, "It shouldn't take long to find a predatory animal and dispose of four feathered worms by feeding them to it."

"I would have thought that those five bats would be back right now," said Ratigan confused.

"We even asked some of the flying foxes who have moved into that territory that belonged to the hyacinth and blue-throated macaw clans but none of them have seen any of those five bats at all," said Shinzon, "But they replied that they haven't even seen them for some time…"

As these words left his mouth, the sound of flapping of five pairs of membranous wings reached the ears of the group. At this, Iracebeth, Cicatriz and the other searchers darted their gaze in the direction of the owners as they melted out of the shadows and the moment they spotted the owners, they bolted into flight and rushed to meet them.

"Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella, Luna!" cried Iracebeth in a flustered voice as the five said bats slowed to a hover, "Where have you been, it's getting LATE!"

"You got us worried sick," said Cruella. The other searchers also voiced their concerns while Cicatriz looked on at his brother, sister-in-law, nephew and two nieces with a stern and disapproving look.

"What took you so long?" asked one of the other bats.

"Did you manage to dispose of those four birds?" asked Ratigan. As the group fussed over them, Augustus rose his feet in a stopping gesture, making the other bats stop their fussing.

"We did, yes," he said, lying to cover up the fact that he, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna had helped them, "However, it took us a while to find a predator on the forest floor."

"A while?" repeated Cruella confused.

"But there are plenty of alligators, jaguars and pools full of piranha around here," said Cicatriz, "It shouldn't take long to dispose of those four feathered rodents."

"Um…" began Melissa but she froze as her tongue stuck in her mouth. Finally, she found something got say. "We couldn't decide on whether to um… feed those birds to… a jaguar or an alligator or the piranhas," she said. Stella, Luna, Sebastian and Augustus nodded to back Melissa up. Cicatriz frowned at the five while Iracebeth and the other searchers just smiled wickedly at them. However, under Cicatriz's gaze, suspicion was beginning to manifest.

"Well, at least you've got rid of those four birds, Augustus," said Cicatriz firmly, "But it is getting late," his single eye then gazed at Stella and Luna who cringed at the hardness of the single-eyed gaze. "You and your family should be back at the hollow and those two young daughters of yours should be asleep by now. It's WAY past their bedtime."

"Yeah, and besides that," put in Iracebeth, "We have plenty of important work to do tomorrow. We're gonna start interrogating those kidnapped feathered worms by daybreak."

At the mentioning of the kidnapped macaws, Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian felt revulsion tear through them and they flinched.

"Problem?" asked Shinzon.

"Oh, nothing," replied Augustus immediately. He then flashed a glance at Stella and Luna and said, "But I think that subject is not an appropriate thing my daughters should hear."

"Yeah, they're too young at the moment," added Melissa.

"Well, they're gonna have to learn to put up with violence and gore sooner or later," said Cicatriz. This made Stella, Luna and Sebastian wince again and Augustus and Melissa made sad faces.

"W-w-we'd better be off to our h-h-hollow," stammered Augustus slightly timidly, "Like y-y-you've said before. It is getting late. I'll see you guys in the morning," he then flashed a glance at Iracebeth and the searchers, "Thanks for showing your concerns for us, anyway."

And with that, he darted off, Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian in tow. Cruella stared after the five as they melted out of view.

"Well that was abrupt," she said flatly.

"Huh, they always abruptly cut off our conversations each time it is about birds or something," muttered Shinzon. "They're pathetic cowards, like always."

"Yeah, especially since they wouldn't allow their white-furred oddballs to attend the important fighting classes," put in Ratigan. The other bats nodded in agreement. Cicatriz gazed after his brother and his family. He, however, had a different feeling bubbling within him. He had an idea about Augustus and his family's behaviour, an idea that he didn't like.

"Ratigan," he commanded. Ratigan, at this, fluttered forward in response to his name.

"Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Gather some muscular bats and station them around every entrance to Augustus and his family's hollow," commanded Cicatriz, "Make sure that they keep those five confined at all times. And also organise a foraging group to bring them food. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Ratigan, at first was a little confused but then set to obeying the command. "Okay, Cicatriz," he said and with that, he flew off to carry out the task. Cicatriz then dismissed the other bats and sent them back to their hollows to go to sleep while he and Iracebeth entered their own.

"You believe that Augustus and his family are hiding something, aren't you?" said Iracebeth. Cicatriz turned casually to her.

"Yes, I do," he said firmly, "I have a feeling that they're up to something that is no different from the abomination that wretched cousin of my sister-in-law had committed until we found her out and I want to make sure that it is nipped in the mud before it gets any worse."

Iracebeth looked on in wonder and then prepared for bed with her mate.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28- a delayed return**

 **Four days later**

Sundown was approaching and in Alonso's tribe's home patch and grove, the green tribe, along with dozens and dozens of macaws and other birds from the other tribes and clans, had gathered around the meeting tree where their leaders had discussed about the flying fox situation and possible solutions to the problem. Dozens of Spix, scarlet, green-winged, blue-and-gold, glaucous, hyacinth, blue-throated and Lear's macaws, as well as the smaller group species such as golden conures, toucans, smaller macaw species, and dozens of archaeobirds from Andromeda's clan were interspersed in the sea of great green and military macaws. Among the birds present were Spix macaws Zephyr, Venus, Roberto, Brisa and Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Tyler and Ricardo and their close friends Aurora, Músculo and Garrett and also Cassia, Tyler and Ricardo's mother; Blu and Jewel were back in their tribe's ravine keeping an eye on things. Of the red macaws present were Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Sheldon, Byron and Estelle and their parents, together with Benjamin, Felipe and Pearl. The inner circle birds of the red tribe had been put in charge of the leadership of said tribe once again until Felipe returned once the rescue mission has been completed, and Regina had opted to remain behind to help in these duties. Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Monique stood with the other Lear's macaws; the leadership of the Lear's macaw tribe had been left with Rosalind and some inner circle birds back at the Lear's macaws' ravine, while Pluto, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden, Neptune, Ultramarine, Triton, Indigo, Victor, Penelope and Trixie stood with their green macaw friends Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Ash and Aramis and some of the other glaucous macaws including Rudi and hyacinth macaws from both the Navyfeather Clan and the tattered Bluewing Clan. Nearby stood Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Fernanda, Aurelio and Saturn, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus with Porthos, Brooke and Bastian and they were accompanied by their friends including Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Orion and Velocity, and Diantha and also Mariposa and Kiawe and their parents from the blue-headed macaws, Citrine and Caspian from the golden conures and Alessandro and Rhiannon from the chestnut-fronted macaws. Among the archaeobirds present were Ophiuchus, Honeydew and their bat-birds. Eragon and Andromeda were back with their clan sorting things out.

Rhea, Azul and Fernanda, had only been released from the hospital yesterday, their injuries having healed enough for them to return to the wild. However, Glimmergem, Athos and Ceres were expected to stay in the hospital for a week or more, their injuries being more serious and requiring more time to heal up than the injuries the other three had sustained. As the two blue-throated macaws and blue-and-gold macaw left the hospital, taking off from a group of humans' hands, they had been met and picked up and escorted to the green tribe's territory by some of Alonso's patrollers. Rhea had reunited with her siblings and Saturn, as well as her friends, but when she had heard from them what had happened to Orquidea and Ruby, she had been upset and devastated. Speaking of devastation and upset, however, that was exactly how the entire crowd of birds felt about Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna who were supposed to have returned the following evening after their meeting of them.

The rescue plan was going to be a perilous one as it will involve a group of birds venturing deep into the territory of the flying fox colony to rescue the kidnapped birds. Based on this, it had been carefully and thoroughly discussed and made. The rescue group was to cover themselves with mud, as suggested by Blu and Jewel, in order to conceal their brightly coloured plumages, for a group of colourful birds would stick out as easily as a few bright white mushrooms would against a drabber black and green background of soil, grass and ferns and they'd be spotted by patrolling groups of flying foxes really easily, something the rescue group wants to avoid completely. During the discussion, Andromeda had suggested the use of torches (sticks with flames burning on their tips) but this had been turned down due to not only the risks involved but it might trigger fear in their allies for they despised fire, so Andromeda had immediately placed that idea as out of the question. The birds who had volunteered to go on the mission included Zephyr, Brisa and Cassia from the Spix macaws, Jupiter and Mars, along with Felipe and Pearl, from the red macaws, Sapphire and Monique from the Lear's macaws, Saturn from the blue-and-gold macaws, Uranus from the green macaws, Neptune from the hyacinth macaws, Pluto, along with Rodrigo, from the glaucous macaws and Cobalto from the blue-throated macaws. Their relatives wanted to come with them but they had been told to stay behind for their safety. Of course, this has not been easily received by some of them. Venus and Roberto kept arguing with Zephyr and Brisa to change their minds but the two macaws were adamant, and the same applied to Mercury with Sapphire and Ultramarine with Neptune. The younger adult macaws like Carla, Bia and Tiago had also been commanded to stay behind for the mission was going to be an extremely dangerous one. Despite protests, the rescue group had remained adamant in their decision. Then as soon as the rescue group was ready and the plans completed at the deadline Augustus had told them (the sundown of the following day of his meeting with them), the birds had turned to waiting for the return of Augustus and his family.

However, that sundown, the birds had waited, and waited and waited and continued to wait right into the night but there was no sign of the five bats. Another day passed and still no sign. This continued until now. During the time, feelings of anger, disappointment, rage, betrayal and other negative emotions had formed as a dark cloud above the flock. This cloud grew bigger and bigger as time went by and by now, it was massive. Moods and tempers had become more and more volatile and agitation became more and more obvious. Alonso had become more and more worried and the rescue group, who had yet to coat themselves with mud once Augustus turned up, sat by Alonso's meeting tree waiting and waiting, their impatience clearly showing through their behaviour and snappiness. Thrown within the black cloud of negative emotions, some of the birds had begun to believe that something may have happened to Augustus and his family. Could they have been caught? Could they be busy? On the other hand, other birds believed that this was simply a trick to stall them for time and had begun to question their trust in those five flying foxes. After all, every flying fox in that colony were devious pretenders who always made fake promises, and impatience continued to grow and grow.

Not too far away from the rescue group, Carla and company gazed worriedly at the macaws as they continued loitering around, shifty due to agitation and very snappy. None of the macaws daren't approach this group, through Tyler and Ricardo did with their mother Cassia only to receive a harsh snap from her which sent them bolting and backing away, the snap being like that of a piranha. As the group continued watching the agitated rescue group, agitation also bubbled within them and they were also moody and snappy. Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon were especially sour-faced and short-tempered. They were not usually like this but Augustus and his family's apparently delayed arrival has escalated the tension of their mood.

"I _knew_ we shouldn't have trusted those five dog-faced pretenders from the start!" growled Miranda impatiently, a talon strike against a stone and sending it rolling, "It's been almost FOUR days!"

"Hey, quit your whining," snapped Io as she sat with Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, "We're all on the same perch."

"As is everyone else," said Ganymede and with that, he slid his gaze over the crowd of macaws, archaeobirds and various other bird species and sighed.

"I wonder if something awful has happened to those five," suggested Tethys. At this, Oberon snapped his gaze at her and glared at her.

"And I'm wondering when you're gonna stop saying that ANNOYING thing over and over again," he snapped, "That's the millionth time you've said that!"

"It's ONLY a suggestion!" retorted Tethys angrily.

"You're just saying it to assure us over nothing," snapped Oberon. That did it. With a stomp of her talon, Tethys snapped back even more harshly and soon, the blue-and-gold/great green couple then began to break out into yet another argument, another thing that had been common over the past few days. Mimas, Enceladus, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus could only look on as their sister and her great green boyfriend argued back and forth. Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel and Titania, however, just grumpily rolled their eyes and looked away, sulking and sour gazes on their faces.

"Here we go again," muttered Mimas.

"They've been at it since yesterday," said Enceladus.

"So have some of the other couples," said Dione and with that, she gazed at Jojo, Felix and Lavender as their respective other halves Kira, Turquesa and Garrett, their backs turned to them. They had had a heated falling out quite a while ago as well and now they were refusing to speak to one another. Nearby, Carla, Bia and Tiago sat with Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Azul, Fernanda, Wilbur and Aurelio while Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Tyler and Ricardo sat with Aurora and their red friends Sheldon, Estelle and Byron. Nearby, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor sat with Neytiri, Aiden, Triton, Indigo, Penelope, Victor and Trixie. Some lay on their backs on the floor dozing while some silently talked. However, most of them shed tears as they fretted about the wellbeing of the kidnapped macaws, such as Charon and his siblings with their mother Lapis Lazuli. Then Aramis and Porthos came in, a pang of pity pricking at them as they gazed at the depressed group. Nearby, Tethys had taken off to somewhere else in a huff while Oberon was left to sulk.

"Your younger siblings have been very upset as well," said Aramis to Titan and his other five siblings, "Especially your two younger brothers, Hyperion and Gordon. They've been missing their mother dearly."

"So has Edmund, our younger brother," said Miranda grumpily nearby.

"In fact, he's been crying all night every night," added Ariel. Aramis just sighed.

"Amalthea and Oliver also miss our mother," said Io in an edgy voice for she was about to weep again, "They've done so since she's been kidnapped by those horrid bats."

"Those bats sure like to cause a lot of heartbreaks, don't they?" snapped Miranda sourly, "Especially that Augustus and his family. Some friends they are!"

At this, Aramis snapped his glance to her, the others gazing at him and expecting yet another couple to have a falling out. However, before Aramis could retort, a voice sounded near them.

"Time for something to eat," it said. At this, all the macaws turned and saw Eustace, Milo and Rosa come in with some large leaf bags of nuts and fruit. With them were Spock and Anakin who had also come to help. The five were fighting against the urge to fall asleep for they were blinking and half-asleep. Rosa then went over to the Spix macaws to offer them something to eat but Carla, Bia and Tiago gave her a silent shake of their heads, saying to her that they weren't hungry. At this, Rosa backed away. However, Titan and his siblings apart from Tethys all reached out and received the fruit and nuts from Eustace, saying thank you to him as they did.

"Where's Tethys?" asked Eustace. Titan responded by pointing to where she had flown. With that, Eustace took off in that direction while Milo and Rosa offered the green macaws food. However, Miranda and her siblings also shook their heads, so the two cockatoos backed away. As the group began to eat, Milo, Rosa, Spock and Anakin helping themselves to the food, Porthos began to ask Spock a question.

"How's your wing, leg and tail, Spock?" he asked. Spock flashed a glance at his tattered left fore-wing, right leg feathers and tail plumes.

"They're fine, thanks," he replied as he took a bite out of a guava, "The clan healers said that the ripped out flight feathers should grow back in a few months but until then, I cannot glide properly between trees."

"I'm still surprised that those wretched bats would target you archaeobirds," said Dione. Spock just said nothing but Anakin looked cross.

"Well, I believe those winged mammals have really crossed the boundary, folks," he said, "Not only have they broken the truce by trespassing on the birds' land, but they have also attacked and kidnapped some of you against their will."

"Not to mention drive out those poor blue-throated and hyacinth macaws the other night," added Spock. Eustace was about to say something when suddenly, a voice shouted, "Augustus and his family are coming!"

"And about time and all," snapped Miranda's voice. At this, the group all stared upward at the crowd as a trio of macaws, one Spix, one red and one green who had been on the lookout for the family of flying foxes, continued to shout out the signal, while the crowd stirred, relieved chirps rolling through it. However, there were a number of angry groans thrown in as well. Mimas, Enceladus, Titan, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus all rose to their feet.

"I shouldn't be surprised that the crowd is enraged at Augustus and his family's late arrival," said Mimas slightly grumpily, "It's been almost _four_ days."

"They're gonna be in for a good shouting at, I can tell you," said Porthos seriously.

"Let's see what those five flying foxes have to say," said Enceladus.

"Then LET'S!" snapped Miranda as her siblings Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon took off, making Enceladus jump. Then Miranda spread her wings and followed her four siblings, Aramis rolling his eyes and shooting Enceladus an apologetic look before following.

"And I hope the mood of those five grumps subsides as well," added Rhea irritably, "Their mood snaps and sulking has been getting on everyone's nerves."

"Not to mention the frequent bickering between the couples and some others," added Titan. And with that, he, his five siblings, and Porthos all took off while Anakin, Spock, Eustace, Milo and Rosa ran off to alert someone else. As the uproar of the crowd continued to increase, Alonso raised his head to the three lookouts he had stationed outside the home grove. He had been giving a review of the instructions to the rescue group when he had heard the signal. As the three lookouts touched down, the one who had shouted the signal, Tito from the red macaws, stepped forward.

"Augustus and his family are coming, Alonso," said he.

"Right, you go and meet them while I get these guys ready," said Alonso firmly. Tito nodded obediently and took off, his green and Spix companions following. Seconds later, Alonso was off with the rescue group in tow. As they flew along, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Mars looked around with immense worry and nervousness, as did Zephyr and Brisa, Sapphire, Monique, Pearl and Felipe. This was indeed going to be a dangerous mission and there was no room for error. However, they, as well as their companions, knew that they had to do this. As the rescue group followed Alonso, some of them also wore very sour looks. Felipe was especially on edge.

"Those five furballs are gonna answer for their immense lateness," he snarled.

"Oh, do try to calm down, dear," said Pearl in a low and calming voice.

"Hey, quit throwing snappy remarks," said Sapphire as she flew alongside Uranus, "We've all got the same feelings."

Felipe just breathed a sour sigh and flew on. Behind the rescue group, some macaws, among them the relatives of Jupiter and company such as Venus, Ultramarine, Chiquitita, Roberto, Mercury and their first-brood offspring, followed along. They knew that they will be separated from their loved ones until they return from the perilous mission into flying fox territory and they were dreading all kinds of things. As many of the macaws and archaeobirds, along with some of the smaller group birds such as some toucans, perched on some branches with Verde, Tito and the other two lookout macaws at the front, five flying foxes, an adult brown male, an adult red-brown female and three younger white bats, two female and one male, melted out of the darkening jungle and made a hasty beeline for the birds. However, the quintet looked like they were in a hurry for they were flying surprisingly fast. Then as Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian finally reached the birds after four whole days, Alonso and the rescue group turned up to see the five flying foxes crash land onto a branch and begin to gasp rapidly for air.

"Where in the WORLD have you been!?" demanded Alonso angrily, "It's been FOUR DAYS!"

The rescue group looked on with enraged faces but said nothing. Then the friends and relatives of the rescue group turned up with Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Orion, Velocity, and Spock and Anakin on their bat-birds. When they saw the five bats puff and pant, Spock and Anakin guided their bat-birds onto the branch they had landed, dismounted their mounts and went over to the five bats.

"You look horribly stressed out and troubled," said Spock as he helped Augustus to his feet, "Are you alright?"

Augustus, who was indeed troubled, shot Spock a look flooded with it before directing it next to Alonso and the crowd of birds who glared back at him with outraged looks on their faces. Then after taking a minute to get his breath back, he let loose an explanation for his and his family's immense lateness.

"I'm EVER so sorry, you lot," he cried.

"'Sorry' isn't good enough," snapped Felipe brusquely, going straight over to Augustus and his family, "You don't know what STRESS and TENSION you have caused us over the past four days!"

As he approached Augustus to give him a piece of his mind, Spock and Anakin jumped in front of the five frightened bats, their fore-wings spread out protectively across them and angry looks on their faces. Their bat-birds also jumped to the defence of the five bats. When Felipe saw the four block his path to Augustus and his family, he almost lost his temper.

"Get out of my way, you four!" he snarled, his red plumage bristled, "Those five deserve a BEATING!"

"Look, there's NO time to jump to conclusions," snapped Anakin defensively, "I'm sure Augustus here has an explanation. Don't you?" he gave Augustus a 'Right?' look. Augustus, a timid look on his face and his body trembling like a leaf, nodded rapidly with a genuinely stressed look on his face while Melissa hugged Stella, Luna and Sebastian who cringed at the enraged scarlet macaw. Felipe, however, did not listen to Anakin's words of defence and continued advancing towards him, Spock and the two bat-birds when suddenly, two colourful comets darted in and latched their talons onto Felipe's shoulders and dragged him away. Pearl, together with Zephyr, pulled the red tribe patriarch away.

"Let me go!" snapped Felipe stormily.

"Look, if Augustus has an explanation for his lateness, let him explain it," retorted Zephyr.

"But you pouncing on him and beating him up isn't gonna help anything," added Pearl, "Now SNAP OUT OF YOUR TEMPER THIS MINUTE!"

Felipe, at his mate's harsh words, reluctantly relented and re-joined the other rescue birds. Jupiter looked on in surprise. Pearl was sometimes the red tribe's equivalent to Eduardo's sister Mimi of the Spix macaws. It appeared that Pearl was bold enough to rebuke Felipe whenever he stepped out of line for no reason at all. Then as soon as things had calmed down, Augustus launched into an explanation.

"We would have returned the following sundown as promised but unfortunately," he said, "We've been confined to our tree by some of Cicatriz's thug bats who absolutely refused to let us leave."

"It appears that he is somehow suspicious of us and our allegiance to you birds," added Melissa, "He's suspicious that we're helping you and wants to keep us from you birds."

"Anyway," said Augustus, "For four whole days, we've been strictly forbidden from leaving our tree while food was brought to us. Every single exit of our tree, our hollow entrance… every window… had been completely under guard by those thug bats who kept watch on us twenty-four-seven. We've tried everything to get those thug bats to change their minds but they wouldn't do so, regardless of any excuse we have made."

"Such as our offspring getting bored, which they were," said Melissa, a nod to Sebastian, Stella and Luna, "Or the excuse of going sightseeing under the promise that we'd never meet you again, and whatever else."

"But… how did you eventually manage to get out if your tree was so heavily guarded that you couldn't leave?" asked Pearl, a stern glance at Felipe to make sure that he did not lash at Augustus and his family. Augustus turned to face her before directing his gaze to his son Sebastian and daughters Stella and Luna.

"It was our three kids' doing," he explained, "While we were sitting confined to our hollow during the fourth day, Sebastian, Stella and Luna went about exploring some deeper parts of the tree, parts we never knew we had. It was boredom that drove them to exploring."

"And during the process, I happened to come across some sort of passage that was hidden at the very bottom of our tree hollow, where we store our fruit," said Sebastian.

"And we found that it led to outside," added Stella and Luna together. Surprised glances were exchanged through the crowd.

"Go on," said Alonso.

"And when Sebastian, Stella and Luna reported that to us, we immediately followed them to that compartment," said Melissa, "But it had not been easy for the passageway had been quite narrow. We then squeezed through the passage and made it outside."

"And then we flew like the wind to meet you here," said Augustus, finishing the explanation, "And that's about it, but we don't have time to talk more about that," his voice then became serious, "We have to get going to our colony's territory and rescue those kidnapped macaws. Where is the rescue group?"

His eyes scanned the crowd of birds expectantly until Felipe ushered the volunteers forward.

"Here," he growled. Then Uranus said, "Are we going now?"

"Yes," said Augustus urgently, "We have to be off RIGHT NOW."

Shocked glances were exchanged throughout the crowd. Then Jupiter came forward with Saturn, Pluto, Zephyr and Brisa, Monique and Sapphire.

"Are the prisoner macaws, especially Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Waldo, Lapis Lazuli and Nuvem alright?" he asked. Augustus shot him a mortified look.

"We haven't got one glimpse of the prisoners at all," he replied, "Having been confined to our hollow all that time but I have a bad feeling that they may be in very bad shape by now. That is why we've got to get them out of there as soon as possible."

"And another thing, Cicatriz might be planning on putting those macaws to death by now since they might no longer be of any use," added Melissa. This sent squeaky chirps of distress rolling through Carla's group. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender, Tyler and Ricardo shuddered as did Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, Titan and his siblings including Tethys, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette, and Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor while some of the others, especially Rudi who was in the crowd, had dread come over them. But then Alonso's barking voice shattered the dreadful silence, making everyone jump as he began to shout orders to the rescue group to get ready.

"Coat yourselves in mud and gather some vegetation for your camouflage outfits NOW!" shouted the green macaw tribe. Then without hesitation, the rescue birds all darted off to find a patch of mud to roll around in. Venus, Roberto and Mercury and some of the other macaws darted after some of the group members.

"We're coming too," shouted Venus but Zephyr, together with Brisa, Sapphire and Monique shot them a stern look.

"I'm afraid you have to stay here, Venus," said Zephyr firmly.

"Yes, this is a perilous quest and we can't risk losing any of you," added Brisa. At this, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender came forward and hugged them while Venus went on to protest.

"No, LEAVE it to us!" barked Zephyr. When Venus refused to obey and continued protesting, Zephyr latched his wings onto his beloved mate's head sides and brought her close to his beak before delivering some huge passionate kisses. After breaking the last kiss, Zephyr gazed at Venus with pleading green eyes.

"I'll see you when I get back," he whispered lovingly. He then turned to Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and commanded, "You look after your mother and Blu and Jewel's three offspring, as well as your cousins and your two younger siblings Aquamarine and Azurite."

Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil nodded. Nearby, Brisa bid Roberto, Jojo, Felix and Lavender farewell as well while Mars said goodbye to Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, Jupiter to Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Saturn to Titan and his six siblings, Uranus to Miranda and her four siblings, Neptune to Ultramarine, Triton and Indigo and Pluto to Charon, Quincy, Flor and Blueberry.

"Please bring Mom back safely," begged Titan as he, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus hugged Saturn.

"We will do our best, my sons and daughters," murmured Saturn as he returned the hug to his large first-brood. Nearby, Rodrigo tried to sneak away. He appeared to have changed his mind but Pluto stopped him.

"What do you think you're doing!?" he demanded, latching his talons onto his wings and turning him around. Rodrigo, at this, gazed back at Pluto with a confused face as he tried to look for an excuse.

"Don't you realise that Lapis Lazuli, along with the others, could be in mortal danger?" asked Pluto. Then Rudi came in, a stern expression on his face.

"You've volunteered to go on the rescue, Rodrigo, now go on it!" he commanded. At this, Rodrigo shot Rudi a timid look.

"Er… I was…" he began but Pluto saw straight through his flimsy façade.

"I can see you're being a coward," said he, "First you want to participate on the rescue because Lapis Lazuli is your friend and now you don't? What sort of a friend are you!?"

Rodrigo tried looking for an answer but Pluto swept on. "Don't you remember what happened last time when you tried to save your own skin when you and Lapis Lazuli were being chased by some of those bats all those years ago, when those bats drive out our tribe!?"

Still Rodrigo refused to answer, leading to Pluto to harden his gaze.

"YOU left her to defend _herself_ from those bats! _"_ he barked in a harsher voice, making Rodrigo's nerves flinch, "YOU were too cowardly to protect her back then. Is it any wonder she harboured bitter feelings towards you when we found our tribe before we moved in with the Navyfeathers. This time, she could be in mortal danger and she is gonna need rescuing. Now snap out of this cowardice and LEND ME A WING, is THAT CLEAR!?"

Rodrigo, at this, timidly nodded. Then Pluto released him and Rodrigo flew off to look for a mud puddle. Rudi gave Pluto a congratulating look.

"Well done, my cousin-in-law," he said with a smile, "You've talked some sense into him," he then turned serious, "Now you need to coat yourself in mud and get ready as well. Augustus and his family are waiting."

Pluto turned and saw the five bats as they waited for the rescue group. Nodding obediently, Pluto prepared to take off.

"Please rescue my cousin and your mate," whispered Rudi pleadingly, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor standing around him, the same pleading looks mirrored on their faces.

"Please bring Mom back here safely," added Charon, a tear in his eye. His three siblings nodded in agreement. Pluto nodded solemnly before taking off to search for a mud puddle.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29- the rescue**

Night has fallen on the Amazon rainforest and the sky was partly cloudy. The moon was now passed its full phase and was in its waning stages. Around it, a sea of stars flowed like glitter thrown over a black canvas, the Milky Way clearly visible. In the dark jungle, a group of winged forms moved through the canopy. The winged forms at the front were two flying foxes, Augustus and Melissa, and they were leading a group of birds, mostly macaws, through the canopy of the flying foxes' territory. Augustus and Melissa had left Stella, Luna and Sebastian under the care of Alonso back in the territory of the birds for it was too dangerous for the young bats to participate. Should anything happen that would require a hasty retreat; those three bats might not be able to out-fly the danger due to their small wings.

The group of macaws consisted of a mixture of Spix, scarlet, green-winged, great green, military, blue-throated, hyacinth, glaucous, Lear's, and blue-and-gold, along with a few archaeobirds riding their bat-birds for they had come to help. All the macaws' colourful plumages were hidden under a suit of mud and collected bits of vegetation while the archaeobirds wore specially designed leaf cloaks to conceal their bright and metallic sheened feathers. The bat-birds, however, did not wear any sort of camouflage suits for they were drab enough to blend in with their surroundings and also could pass for bats at first glance because of their membranous wings. However, up close, it was clear that they were not bats at all for they had beaks and their wings were a different shape altogether. Furthermore, with their archaeobird owners riding on their backs, the idea of bats carrying birds, even cloaked creatures with four wings and a prehensile tail, was utterly absurd. The macaws themselves, though their mud and plant outfits would enable them to hide in plain sight, still risk getting spotted and recognised by passing flying fox patrollers. The flying foxes were well trained in recognising any flying creature with feathers and they have the potential to spot a group of birds, even in camouflage outfits, from a distance based on their features. This was what the rescue group wanted to avoid at all costs. If they end up spotted and recognised, it would be all over.

Zephyr, Brisa and Jupiter, their species hidden under a suit of mud and pieces of leaves, twigs and some other vegetation placed on their heads, wings and talons, shot nervous gazes at the passing trees. They were clearly on edge, very wary. Saturn and Mars were even more so, having accidentally strayed into flying fox territory before a few years ago when they, together with Ceres and Venus were searching for Jupiter who had plunged into a stream with Nigel. Before crossing the border into the territory of the bats, Augustus had explained to the rescue group of the barrenness of the territory of birdcalls and any creature with feathers living within it, and as the rescue group followed him and Melissa through the trees of the bats' territory, they could see that Augustus was not kidding. The majority of trees were still healthy, their leaves a vibrant green colour but there were absolutely no feathered forms whatsoever, and the air was completely devoid of any birdcalls. To add, there appeared to be more predatory animals inhabiting the trees than fruit eating animals apart from the flying foxes. Large spiders, snakes and poisonous dart frogs dotted the trees, creeping sinisterly about as they searched for prey. These traits of the flying foxes' territory added fuel to the nervousness of the rescue group, and some actually shuddered. But they had to remain focussed on the mission. As the group passed over a certain break of the continuous sea of trees, revealing a small stream, Augustus explained, "This was where a small group of rosette spoonbills lived. This used to be their feeding spot. Now, it's nothing more than a stream devoid of birdlife, the spoonbills having been driven out or slaughtered by the flying foxes when they took this patch of land."

Pluto and Mars gazed at the stream and imagined a small family of pink flamingo-like birds with spoon-shaped bills frolicking joyously on the water's edge. They had seen a rosette spoonbill before. In fact, they were friends with one in Rio, a male spoonbill named Kipo who was a frequent attendant at Nico and Pedro's club. Pulling their gaze away from the area formerly inhabited by the rosette spoonbills, Pluto and Mars moved on.

"So all this used to belong to either a large bird tribe or clan, or a cluster of smaller groups of birds like amazons?" asked Saturn as he flew alongside Augustus and Melissa, his talon gesturing to the land. Augustus looked at him.

"Yes it did," he said sombrely, "This part of land, in fact, used to be brimming with birdlife. But all that has disappeared when our colony invaded it and drove out or slaughtered all the birds that lived here to take the land for their own."

"Somewhere around here used to be the land of the glaucous macaw tribe as well before the bats drove them out years and years ago," said Melissa. These words sent a wave of pain coursing through the glaucous macaws, especially Rodrigo. Pluto also felt the wave while Saturn shuddered. He could not imagine the massacres that took place in these areas. However, he pushed those thoughts aside and continued flying on.

Sometime later, the rescue group was nearing the heart of the flying foxes' territory. Here, Augustus and Melissa had slowed reduced the flying pace so that the group flew at a lower speed. As they approached the area, Augustus gave the birds a stern warning: "We're now approaching the centre of my colony's home and here is where we're more likely to encounter some flying fox patrol groups. I want you all to stay close together and not wander off, lest you want to be caught and put to death. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," said Jupiter nervously. Near him, Felipe and Pearl also shuddered, their gazes darting this way and that as though they expected a group of flying furry animals to jump out at them. The others also wore nervous looks, their nerves dancing wildly in their eyes and insides and their hearts beating ten to the dozen. Despite the nervousness, they still continued. Augustus and Melissa then led the rescue group down through the canopy and towards the forest floor for better cover. The inner parts of the flying foxes' territory were indeed busier, and there were dozens of flying fox patrol groups out flying about, their hawk-like eyes scoring the environment for anything out of place. Because of this, the birds were on the border of entering the most dangerous part of their mission. No-one from any of the bird tribes have ever ventured this far into flying fox territory before but the macaws and archaeobirds on the rescue group knew that this was an immense minefield: they could not put one talon wrong lest their cover be blown which would result in them getting caught and possibly their lives, as well as those of Augustus and Melissa, put in serious jeopardy. There was clearly no room for error in this perilous quest.

As Augustus and Melissa guided the rescue group through the trees, a few metres above the forest floor, Augustus's sensitive ears picked up the flapping sounds of a few pairs of membranous wings. At this, he commanded the others to hide. Without a second to spare, the group darted downward and took cover in some ferns and some other forest floor undergrowth. Then Augustus parted a fern leaf and gazed upward. Within moments, a small group of five flying foxes, all adults with numerous scars crisscrossing their pelages, appeared within viewing range of the hidden group. The five patrollers then stopped into a hover. In the ferns, the rescue group all froze, hoping that the patrollers would not turn their gaze in their direction and this was where the role of the macaws and archaeobirds' camouflage suits came in. all the members of the rescue group kept perfectly still while the archaeobirds, among them Ophiuchus, one of the archaeobirds who had volunteered to come on the mission, calmed their bat-bird mounts. Ophiuchus was a veteran searcher and rescuer, and had plenty of experience in those areas, having spent most of his years participating in search and rescue parties when he used to live in Jurassic Jungle, Guyana. However, venturing into the heart of forbidden territory which would spell certain death for any bird, even an archaeobird, if they were ever caught had taken his experience to a whole new level and he was clearly nervous.

Augustus then began to watch the five patrollers as they began to talk in the air while everyone else remained hidden.

"I don't know WHAT that Augustus and his family are playing at," said one, a dark brown furred male, making Augustus stiffen at the mention of his name, "but the thug bats stationed outside their tree have reported to us that they've searched high and low in their tree but could not find _any sign_ of those five cowards…"

Augustus managed to catch hold of his breath as he continued observing and listening to the conservation. Behind him, the rescue group and Melissa continued to keep still. Pluto was getting agitated which made keeping still a challenge. As fidgetiness set in, a hyacinth macaw friend, a male adult named Jonas, placed a calming wing on his shoulder to help calm his trembles. Then something came slithering into the hiding place, a snake resembling a long thin vine tendril. As the long green creature slid slowly into the patch of ferns through a gap, completely unaware of the feathered occupants desperately trying to avoid detection from the above patrollers as they continued talking, small jolts of nerves were sent coursing through the group. Mars, who wasn't keen on snakes, cringed timidly but then Ophiuchus, who knew how to handle snakes well, cautiously and slowly began to approach the thin green serpent.

"…Cicatriz is HONESTLY going BERSERK!" growled another patroller, a brown female, "If we don't find those five bats ANY TIME SOON…"

"Look, we've got dozens and dozens of flying fox search parties searching _high and low_ for that wretched brother of his and his mate and three white misfit offspring," said a third patroller, another female with brown fur, the insult about Sebastian, Stella and Luna sending a flash of outrage briefly coursing through Augustus and Melissa when they heard it. Some of the macaws also hissed angrily.

"Don't tell me that's what your pups have been called freq…" began Uranus but Augustus's membranous hand-wing went up in a gesture to be quiet, prompting Uranus to shut his beak. Below the group, the snake continued slithering by, Mars becoming more and more nervous. However, Ophiuchus soon came within a reasonable distance and approached the snake, being cautious in case it was a venomous species. The five patrollers then continued, talking away. As the five bats flew on, their talking fading into the distance, Augustus slowly crept out.

"Right, let's go," he commanded the others. Breaths of relief were breathed throughout the group.

"That was close," murmured Sapphire as she lifted a large fern leaf to crawl out.

"White misfit offspring?" said Uranus in curiosity. When Augustus shot Uranus a deeply offended look, he issued an apology while Neptune began to talk some sense into him.

"Watch your choice of words, pal," he grunted in rebuke. Uranus nodded before Augustus, having pushed the offense aside, gestured the group into getting moving.

Soon the rescue group was back on track. As they flew along, Melissa began to explain to Uranus about why Augustus found the term 'misfit offspring' extremely offensive.

"When my cousin Lily attended her first fighting class when she was young before she ended up caught in a poacher's trap," she explained, "The classmates often made fun of her white fur and called her a 'white misfit' while most of the adult bats looked down on her as some sort of freak. Our son Sebastian and daughters Stella and Luna had also faced the same sort of bullying and still do…"

"That's horrible," murmured Uranus. Melissa nodded in agreement. Jupiter then shot Melissa a confused look.

"You cousin was an albino flying fox?" he asked.

"She had white fur and reddish eye whites," replied Melissa, "Just like what Sebastian, Stella and Luna have now…"

"Blu, Bia and Ganymede are the ones to ask about that sort of topic," said Zephyr nearby, "They understand what genetics is, among other scientific things."

"Let's just concentrate on this," replied Melissa firmly, "We should be approaching the outskirts of the heart of our territory now…"

Uranus, Jupiter and Zephyr only exchanged glances, shrugged and then flew on. However, Melissa's reply of Lily being a white bat had Jupiter lost in thought briefly. For some strange reason, it sounded familiar but the information was too confusing to construct the final picture. Pushing those thoughts away, he continued.

Another little while later, the group had reached the true heart of the flying fox colony's territory after avoiding one or two more flying fox patrol groups. This was where the flying fox density was at its greatest and care had to be especially exercised in passing through this part. There were countless flying foxes everywhere but to Augustus and Melissa's concern, there was no sign of Cicatriz and Iracebeth anywhere. Based on this, the two bats had hoped that the two deranged leaders were not at the interrogation site; otherwise rescuing the prisoners would be made very difficult. Behind the pair, the macaws and archaeobirds kept their sights on Augustus and Melissa at all times, going wherever they went and obeying their commands. They knew they had to trust Augustus and Melissa for they knew the layout of this part of the territory at the back of their hand-wings. Following the two bats, the camouflage-suited macaws and archaeobirds riding their bat-birds weaved in and out of the tree trunks through the darkest parts of the colony's home patch, hugging the shadows at all times. However, Augustus soon commanded the group to hide again and the group descended towards the forest floor and hid among more ferns and a bush. The group had approached another group of flying foxes. Only this time, it was a group of some inner-circle bats and they were chatting away in the tree. Because of the sheer number of flying foxes about, the group knew that flying through the canopy was out of the question. Hugging the shadows and the forest floor vegetation was their only option. Augustus then carefully and slowly crept out from under a fern leaf and quickly darted for a very dark shadow cast upon the forest floor by a cluster of overhead canopy branches and leaves. Melissa subsequently followed but took up her position in the shadow cast by the tree trunk slicing through a moonlit patch. Jupiter looked at the adeptness of the two bats in amazement. The way the two bats had hugged the shadows had reminded him of how ninjas used the shadows to sneak up on their enemies without being seen. However, Melissa's command snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Come," she whispered, gesturing to the birds with a membranous wing. Swiftly and cautiously, Jupiter darted from the ferns and made a beeline for Augustus. Saturn, Felipe, Pearl and some blue-and-gold and red macaws followed. Then came some of the others, among them Pluto, Rodrigo and Jonas. Pluto stumbled and fell on his front in a moonlit patch but Rodrigo immediately helped him to his feet and pushed him to Augustus's spot.

As the group continued darting for Augustus's spot, the archaeobirds leading their bat-birds, Melissa began to listen to the conversation of the bats in the tree. The group of bats were completely unaware of the feathered intruders that were sneaking right under their fox-like noses with a pair of traitors helping them.

"Cicatriz has decided that the next targets will be the Lear's macaw tribe and their ravine," said one of the bats whom Melissa identified was Cruella. At this, she stiffened, immense detestation coursing through her. Melissa never liked Cruella one bit for Cruella had always taunted her about the death of her cousin Lily for being a traitor, as well As how she had witnessed her dying. Apparently, Cruella used this as a form of intimidation in keeping Melissa in line but since it had been going for so long, Melissa was at breaking point. However, something Cruella had said pulled her attention from her most detested bat to the conversation itself. Sapphire also froze.

"They have a secret paradise-like ravine with sandstone cliffs filled with holes," said Cruella, "Those holes in the cliff face would make a great home for some of us…"

When Sapphire's brain picked this up, she began to shake violently. Her breathing began to spiral out of control but then a nudge from a wing-claw prompted her to move on. At this, Sapphire gazed at the owner, which was one of the archaeobirds, as she signalled to her to get moving. Sapphire did so but the look of distress remained on her face. Then within minutes, all the rescuers were with Augustus and he began to lead them further on. The group flew close to the forest floor, hugging the shadows and keeping out of the moonlit places as much as possible. The moon was in the initial stages of its waning gibbous phase but it was still bright enough to cast a lot of moonlight onto the jungle. As the group flew along, Jupiter noticed Sapphire's disturbed look.

"Something wrong, Sapphire?" he asked concerned. However, Melissa prompted Jupiter to stay focussed on the task. Jupiter did so but he could not understand why Sapphire was so distressed.

Another little while later and after avoiding another flying fox patrol group, Augustus said, "Here we are."

At this, the rescue group looked up and saw a break in the clutter of trees. As they came out of the forest, the group was greeted by a clearing that opened out before them. The entire rim of the clearing was bordered by trees but there were a few tree trunks and tree branches in the clearing. But unlike the trees around the rim, these trees appeared half-dead and splintered, with several long leafless branches stretching out into the night air. The way the branches clawed at the air made the trees appear like ugly creatures in the brightness of the near-full moon. The shapes of these monstrosities sent shivers down the group's spine and Pluto actually took a step back. There was the sound of a rushing stream nearby. Some of the macaws turned and saw that a large stream ran through this clearing. Scattered throughout the clearing with the trees were fallen logs. As Zephyr and Brisa took their first steps into the sinister looking clearing, a repulsive smell filled their nostrils. At this, the brother and sister gasped and pinched their beaks.

"What's… that… smell!?" gagged Zephyr as he was almost strangled by the stench.

"Rotting wood," replied Ophiuchus as he also held his beak with his wing claws.

"I'd never known the smell of rotting wood would be THIS bad," muttered Brisa. Sapphire, Monique, Felipe, Pearl, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and some of the other macaws and archaeobirds also gagged at the almost overpowering smell.

"What _is_ this place!?" asked Monique as she held her beak to block out the smell.

"This," said Augustus darkly, "Is the Interrogation Patch. It is a deforested area that was once forest like the surrounding areas around the edge of this clearing. This place used to belong to a clan of some birds until loggers came and destroyed this part of the forest, took whatever logs they desired and then moved on. When our colony settled here, they had turned this place into a site for interrogating feathered prisoners kidnapped from a target tribe, clan or group."

None of the others replied to this however but they were horrified to learn that the flying foxes had turned a deforested area into an interrogation site. Then Augustus commanded the group to move on.

"Right, the first thing we gotta do is distract the guards," he said, "And there are plenty of them on duty in this area and many of them are very muscular and strong enough to subdue a hyacinth macaw."

"Oh, thanks for letting us know," grumbled Jonas as he, Neptune and the four other hyacinth macaws heard this. Augustus then turned to the birds.

"Who will be the distractors?" he asked. At first none of the birds replied but then Ophiuchus, a look of thunder on his face, stepped forward with his bat-bird and some other archaeobirds came forward.

"We will," he growled. As he and the other volunteers stepped forward, Felipe got a glimpse of a leaf bag in one of the archaeobirds' wing claws.

"What's that?" asked he. Ophiuchus turned to him.

"It's what we call 'Cegador Powder'," he replied, "You'll see what we mean when this is put into its use. Agitha here was the one to concoct first."

"Your Spanish has improved," said Felipe amazed.

"Yes," said the archaeobird named Agitha, "'Cegador' is Spanish for 'blinding', and that is exactly what this powder will do to its enemies. It's a mixture of light forest floor dirt and puffball spores. We're not gonna use it yet but we've brought it with us in case things go awry with those bats."

"That's a good idea," said Augustus but then his face turned serious, "But let's get this rescue over with. I wanna be outa here ASAP and before anyone spots us."

Turning to Ophiuchus and his volunteers, he said, "You four-winged birds, set to distracting the guards while the rest of us search for the prisoners."

Ophiuchus nodded and with a nod to his group, the archaeobirds took off with their bat-birds and left to carry out their diversion. Augustus then led the other rescuers into the Interrogation Patch, being very wary of any flying foxes that might be roaming around.

As the rescue group crept deeper into the Interrogation Patch, Augustus stopped the group and they hid behind one of the fallen logs. It was then that Mars saw something dangling from one of the leafless branches of a nearby tree. At this, he turned and saw that it was a vine.

"Do those vines up there have a use?" he asked. Augustus gave him a dark look.

"Yes," he said in a low voice, "They're used to suspend bird prisoners but I won't talk about that. Let's focus on those bats over there."

And with that, Mars turned his gaze from the vine and directed it at the group of flying foxes before them. Standing a few feet before the group's hiding place was a group of around five bats. They were all very muscly and were covered in numerous scars, and in each of the bats' wings was a sharp-stick or some other stick weapon. Jupiter shuddered at how muscly those bats were, especially when compared to his own. If he were in a match with one of those bats, he'd be overpowered easily.

"Highly muscled flying foxes are often chosen to carry out jobs in this area," whispered Augustus, "For they are very strong and are able to subdue even the strongest of hyacinth macaws."

Jonas had his four companions all shuddered. They did not want to imagine themselves up against those hulking bundles of fur with membranous wings. Then Melissa nodded to something in the distance. At this, Augustus turned and saw Ophiuchus's group signal to them that they were ready. Augustus signalled back and within moments, Ophiuchus and his group set to work.

The five muscular bats sat at their posts, chatting about something. They were completely unaware that they were being watched. As they continued talking, one of the hulking bats saw movement flash in the wall of trees nearby. However, when he turned his eyes in the direction of the movement, it had gone, but the bat had taken to his spear-like sharp-stick and had begun to saunter towards the spot, suspicious eyes scraping the trees.

"What is it?" asked one of his companions.

"I thought I saw something," said the first bat, "Over there."

He indicated with an enormous wing. At this, the other four muscular bats stood up and took up their weapons before creeping towards the first one, their eyes scanning for any sign of suspicious movement. However, they couldn't see anything. After a few moments, the first bat shrugged off the apparent oddity.

"Must have been a small land mammal darting through the ferns or something," he said. No sooner than these words had escaped his mouth when a taunting, "It might have been a small land mammal darting through the ferns alright, you big boar!" shattered the quiet air, making the five guard bats jump about half a foot into the air. The first bat then snapped around to the speaker when suddenly, he drew in a sharp, astounded gasp. The other four also flinched in flabbergast. Standing before them was a strange leaf-cloaked creature with a hood over its head. A pair of eyes glared menacingly and obnoxiously towards the five bats. With the creature was some sort of bat-like creature but it had a beak and its membranous wings were shaped differently. Then before any of the muscular bats could enter confrontation mode or even raise their weapons, the creature produced something from under its cloak and tossed it right at the first bat's face. The thing struck the first bat square on the nose and bounced off, making him jerk his head back and cover it, grunts of pain emanating from his mouth. This was enough to send rage tearing through the other four companions.

"WHY you LITTLE…" snarled one of the other four and with their sharp-sticks poised to attack, the four bats darted off after the cloaked creature who immediately jumped onto the 'bat-winged bird' and took off. The first bat recovered, grabbed his sharp-stick and followed. As soon as the five guard bats were distracted and had gone, Augustus and Melissa led the other rescuers on.

"How are Ophiuchus and his companions gonna manage those five overly muscled bats?" asked Sapphire curiously. At this, Pluto put on a slight, gleeful smile.

"The archaeobirds are masters of trickery and smartness," he crooned.

"Hey, eyes on the rescue, Pluto," hissed a hyacinth macaw. Pluto obediently resumed his concentration of the rescue. However, as the group entered further into the Interrogation Patch, things seemed to get more sinister. The group continued creeping along, wary eyes on the surroundings for any other guard bats when Neptune drew in a sharpened gasp of horror and jumped, stopping the others.

"What is it?" asked Uranus. Neptune, with a shaky talon and a nauseated look on his face, pointed to what had startled him. At this, the others, including Augustus and Melissa, followed his point and when they saw it, revulsion tore through the group, making them flinch. Some backed away, some almost fainted while some felt stomach contents threaten to come up and out. Even Augustus and Melissa wore repulsed faces. Lying before the group were several bird carcasses, some in dried pools of blood. However, the carcasses were too beyond recognition to deduce their species.

"Wh-wh-what are those?" asked Jupiter in a hushed voice. Augustus came in and gave them a very dark look.

"Previous prisoners who had been put through the horrors of interrogation," he explained in a hushed voice, "As you can see, this place is often the final resting place of any bird prisoner," Augustus then gazed mortified at them, "The torture the interrogators put the prisoners through always leads to them dying. As far as we know, none have come out alive."

"So those horrible bats not only attack tribes and clans of birds but they also take the lives of those who divulge information about those tribes and clans?" said Felipe.

"Exactly," said Melissa. The group just stood there, their horrified gaze stuck to the macabre scene of carcasses but what happened next turned the blood in the circulatory systems of every single group member into ice. The most bloodcurdling screams erupted from not too far away, making the entire group jump into the air and snap their gazes into the direction of the sources. Augustus and Melissa, at this, barked commands for the group to follow those screams, which the birds did. The group of birds were a blur, their wings beating hard but the most panicked macaws were Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Monique, Sapphire, Zephyr, Brisa, Felipe and Pearl, Pluto and Rodrigo and they were flying so fast that they took the lead. The group had obviously recognised who the screams belonged to and wasted no time in following the sources. As the group accelerated on, Augustus and Melissa closely behind, they heard the sounds of sadistic laughter. And within seconds, those at the front exploded from behind a log, followed closely by the others and lastly, Augustus and Melissa but what they saw sent immense horror violently coursing through them like a shockwave.

A group of two or three flying foxes stood over something bedraggled and helpless, their sharp-sticks or ordinary sticks poised in jabbing the latter, their faces creased into the most sadistic and scornful looks the rescue group had ever seen. One of the flying foxes, a male, was armed with an ordinary stick and was terrorising a macaw familiar to Saturn.

"Hah, ha, ha, ha!" he cackled as the helpless creature screeched and backed away, "There's no way out, you useless, worthless little worm. It's time for you to DIE in the MOST AGONISING WAY!"

"OH, NO you DON'T!" bellowed Saturn and with a powerful flap of his wings, he surged towards the bat, his talons poised to attack. The flying fox, struck with surprise at the shout, turned round just in time to receive a harsh slash over the face from the volcanic Saturn's talon claws. A screech of pure agony erupted from the flying fox as his wings went to his face, his stick falling to the floor. Blood then began to pour from his wounded face but Saturn was not finished with him yet. With an enraged squawk and without hesitation, the apoplectic blue-and-gold macaw leaped upon the bat and began to mercilessly claw him like a savage cat. One of the flying fox's companions then rushed in but before she could attack Saturn, three brown blurs knocked her away. Mars and two other macaws had charged in and had bashed the female flying fox and sent her flying. Nearby, Felipe, Jupiter, Pearl, Pluto, Zephyr, Brisa, Sapphire, Monique, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and some of the other macaws surged towards the other flying foxes and began to savagely drive them away from the other bundles of feathers while Augustus and Melissa began to look for a way to restrain the torturers. Pluto savagely went for the bat that tormented a macaw familiar to him.

"GET AWAY FROM MY MATE, you DIRTY WING-MEMBRANED SWINE," he bellowed and without hesitation, he scored his claws right over the flying fox's face. The bat which was taller than Pluto then bowled over, screeches of excruciating pain and blood pouring from him as he covered his face. While the macaws dealt with the flying foxes, Augustus and Melissa came in with some strong vines.

"Here, help us tie them up!" cried Augustus. Then without hesitation, Neptune and Jonas rushed in and grabbed the vines. And together with Augustus and Melissa, the two hyacinth macaws raced around and began to bind the other flying foxes. The small but violent skirmish continued for another few seconds but it eventually calmed down as soon as the flying foxes were tied up. When the flying foxes other than the one that had been blinded by Pluto saw Augustus and Melissa, they released enraged cries.

"You TRAITOROUS COWARDS!" bellowed one of them but Augustus picked up a rock and without hesitation shoved it into his mouth to shut him up. This done, Augustus and Melissa, together with the rescue group, turned their attention to the helpless creatures that lie on the floor. However when the creatures, which were Ruby, Alfonso, Nuvem, Waldo, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, Lapis Lazuli, and another macaw who must be a hyacinth based on its size, saw Augustus, Melissa and a number of unrecognisable brown forms approach them, they all emitted piercing screams and began to back away. However, Felipe, Jupiter, Pearl, Pluto, Zephyr, Brisa, Sapphire, Monique, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and Rodrigo began to approach them anyway while Augustus and Melissa looked all around for any sign of the other birds. However, to their immense disappointment, there was none, only the nine prisoners that remained and those nine prisoners looked absolutely unrecognisable much to the immense horror of Jupiter and the other rescuers.

The bodies of all nine macaws were almost completely naked with most of the feathers torn out and the wings were almost completely lacking their flight feathers. A few flecks of colour dotted their pink bodies which were laced with countless blue-black blotches and half-healed red gashes. Because they were missing so much plumage, the nine macaws greatly resembled newly hatched macaw chicks which were always born featherless. Ruby, Alfonso, Nuvem, Waldo, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, Lapis Lazuli, and the other macaw looked lean and gaunt, the shapes of their ribs and keeled sternums just visible and they were trembling violently from cold. Obviously without a coat of feathers to insulate them and keep them warm, they were obviously exposed to the cold surroundings and lost body heat to them quickly. But what was most frightening of all was the look in their eyes. The eyes of all nine of them were so wide that they were bulging out of their sockets, inflated by immense terror and extreme delirium, a symptom Jupiter and the other formerly domesticated macaws had read about to be of complete lack of sleep after so many nights. The look of terror and delirium was especially obvious on Lapis Lazuli. That look strongly reminded Rodrigo of the look of terror she had borne when they had been chased by a group of flying foxes during the siege on their tribe's territory, before he had abandoned her out of cowardice to save his own skin.

The nine macaws, with screeches of extreme terror erupting from their beaks, began to scrabble and back away as the disguised macaws approached them. Pluto tried approaching Lapis Lazuli but she was not having any of it.

"GET AWAY FROM MEEEE!" screeched the petrified, near-featherless, battered and starving glaucous macaw but Pluto did not stop, desperate and pleading eyes fixated on his bedraggled mate.

"It's ONLY ME, LAPIS LAZULI!" he cried. Nearby, Zephyr and Brisa tried approaching Nuvem while Felipe, Jupiter and Pearl tried approaching Ruby and Alfonso. Uranus tried approaching Esmeralda and Ted, Sapphire and Monique tried approaching Waldo while Saturn tried approaching Orquidea and Jonas and Neptune tried approaching the bedraggled hyacinth macaw. However, the reaction from all nine was the same. Jupiter tried getting through to Ruby.

"Look, it's ME, JUPITER!" he barked pleadingly but Ruby, too blinded by immense terror and delirium, could not hear him but only continued to back away, screaming at the top of her lungs. However, Jupiter was in for another shock. An enormous brown and black comet came rocketing in, aiming straight for Jupiter and the delirious Ruby. Then without hesitation and with an enraged flying fox screech, the comet charged at Jupiter and knocked him over, sending him flying and crashing hard against a nearby log. The brown and black comet then swerved back around and grabbed Ruby before flying off with her. Jupiter, stunned by the attack, shook himself to and began to rise to his feet when a horrified cry erupted from one of the macaws. At this, Augustus and Melissa snapped their gazes to whoever the macaw had screamed at and when they saw who it was, horror exploded through them. While this happened, Orquidea had managed to break through her delirium and recognise Saturn. Alfonso, Nuvem, Waldo, Esmeralda, Ted, Lapis Lazuli and the hyacinth macaw also broke through their delirium and recognised Felipe, Pearl, Zephyr and Brisa, Monique and Sapphire, Uranus and some green macaw friends, and Pluto respectively and had shared a brief reunion moment. However, that had been shattered by the horrified scream of one of the blue-throated macaws and now all eyes were fixed upon a large, muscular flying fox that hovered in the air, Ruby in his clutches and the most sadism-crazed look on his face as he gazed evilly at Augustus, Melissa and the macaws.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30- the rescue part 2**

The muscular bat which was none other than the wicked and bloodthirsty Voldemort hovered above the rushing stream with the petrified Ruby in his clutches. His scornful and devilish eyes beamed wickedly like a lethal laser at Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group but when they focussed particularly on the former two, furious outrage was burning dangerously within the scorn. Some other flying foxes had also turned up and were hovering behind him, looks of thunder and outrage also lacing their faces. Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group, including Ophiuchus and his team who had returned from distracting the guards, gazed up at the evil bat with astounded eyes while the other last surviving prisoners, Waldo, Nuvem, Alfonso, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, the hyacinth macaw and Lapis Lazuli, especially the latter, whimpered timidly and cowered behind their friends, shaking violently from both fear and cold. Then Voldemort began to speak in a voice that sounded like splintering wood.

"There they are, the traitors," he crooned wickedly as he fixed his gaze upon Augustus and Melissa first before dragging it like a claw over the disguised birds. "As well as some good-for-nothing feathered intruders who shouldn't be on our territory at all."

Then that scorn gave way to a fiery rage as his eyes turned back to Augustus and Melissa. His fur puffed out and he began o tremble with outrage.

"You DON'T even REALISE what you two have DONE, you PAIR OF wretched COWARDLY BATS!" he bellowed, spittle flying as he spoke. His voice was so loud that it sent shockwaves cursing through the group. Jupiter flinched while some of the other birds let loose shrieks of shock. Augustus and Melissa, though they flinched, gazed back at Voldemort and his companions, who also had thunderous looks on their faces, as they glared bitterly at the two bats. Then one of Voldemort's companions fluttered forward.

"We have sent someone to fetch Cicatriz and Iracebeth here, you two," he snarled, before his voice changed to a mocking croon, "And believe me, aren't they gonna explode like a human dynamite."

"While your little feathered friends are gonna be slaughtered for trespassing on our land," put in another bat, a female, as her eyes raked they disguised birds. The others with him tittered briefly. Augustus and Melissa continued standing there, deadpan looks on their faces. Jupiter shot the couple a surprised gaze. Weren't they even intimidated by the hulking Voldemort and his gang? But then what happened next startled all the birds in the rescue group as everything Augustus and Melissa had bottled up for so long came exploding violently out from inside like a highly pressurised volcano. Trembling with unspeakable rage, Augustus launched into a fiery outburst, his blue eyes ablaze with the flames like those of burning sulfur.

"You wanna know WHY, you OVERGROWN BOAR!?" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. He barked so loud that the prisoners ducked timidly behind their friends. Their friends comforted them as Augustus continued spewing out a blast of magma from his mouth.

"IT'S BECAUSE YOU LOT are A BUNCH OF SAVAGE, ROTTEN…" and then suddenly, Augustus began to spew out a cocktail of highly caustic and vitriolic words that sent horror tearing through the group. The abuse was so caustic that some of the birds, especially Jupiter, raised their wings and covered their ears to block out the music and its disturbing lyrics. Then Melissa stepped in, a thunderous look on her face.

"And as for the anti-bird teachings of the colony," she added, "THEY'RE NOTHING but a pack of OUTRIGHT LIES AND A DISPICABLE EXCUSE TO DRIVE OUT OUNTLESS BIRD TRIBES, CLANS AND GROUPS and GRAB THEIR LAND. YOU don't even know how SICKENING THOSE PROCESSES ARE!"

Voldemort opened his mouth to retort but Melissa swept on. "Not to mention that so many of OUR OWN KIND has died DRIVING OUT THOSE POOR BIRDS!"

"How DARE you SLANDER OUR TEACHINGS YOU LITTLE…" retorted Voldemort and threatened to swoop at Augustus and Melissa to give them a piece of his mind but changed his mind at the last minute. Gazing down at the terrified Ruby who whimpered timidly at his acidic glare, Voldemort gave Augustus and Melissa the caustic eye once again. "I think you oughta save your words until Cicatriz and Iracebeth gets here. You're honestly no different from that traitorous white misfit Lily when she kept countless of those feathered vermin who are responsible for all the mishaps our colony has faced hidden from us…" this sent immense disgust tearing through the rescue group. Zephyr whispered under his breath, "So it's true those bats believe that about us!?"

"You don't realise how much we have LOST habitat and individual wise, because of those feathered rodents in regards to logging, fires and whatnot," added Voldemort, a genuinely heartbroken voice breaking through his rage, "I lost MY ENTIRE FAMILY to logging activity when I was a pup and SO HAVE SO MANY OTHER FLYING FOXES! Therefore, all Amazon birds deserve to DIE!"

"You've got it ALL WRONG, Voldemort," shouted a voice. At this Voldemort's gaze turned to Jupiter who glared back at him with a thunderous look. "We birds aren't the cause of those fires, logging activity and every other disaster you have faced," added Jupiter, "Loss of habitat and sometimes forest fires are caused by loggers or other human activity and natural disasters like forest fires and scarcity of food is caused by a shift in weather patterns. WE BIRDS had nothing to do with those kinds of things."

Augustus smiled in agreement with this as Jupiter continued. "And to add, we're all on the same perch. It's just unfortunate that these things happen."

Augustus, Melissa and the other rescuers looked on with amazed looks on their faces as they listened to Jupiter's speech. Even Ruby, who was wracked by delirium and the trauma she had faced at the clutches of her interrogators, looked on in immense awe. Then Augustus and Melissa gazed back at Voldemort and his companions hoped that Jupiter's effective words would penetrate his hardened shell of blindness. However to their immense dismay that shell was too sturdy and impenetrable as Voldemort began to tremble with rage. His anger flaring within him once again, Voldemort began to dangle whimpering Ruby over the rushing stream. Augustus and Melissa looked on in horror. It was clear that these bats and possibly countless other flying foxes as well apart from a few, were too far gone in the anti-bird lies the majority of the colony believed.

"We don't CARE!" bellowed Voldemort with no remorse whatsoever, "ALL AMAZON BIRDS ARE THE CAUSE OF ALL THE DISASTERS AND THEY DESERVE TO DIE!"

Ruby whimpered timidly in his grasp and gazed at the churning waters of the stream below her. Jupiter also saw the churning waters and shuddered, remembering his traumatic ordeal when he had fallen into one with Nigel. However before Voldemort could release Ruby, Jupiter took action.

"Don't you DARE drop her into that stream, bat," he barked, fear for Ruby lacing his voice. Voldemort, at this, gazed wickedly at Jupiter as the rescue group looked on. His companions also glared at the mud-covered scarlet macaw. At first, Voldemort was stunned by Jupiter's boldness but then a wicked, fiendish grin widened his mouth until it spanned from cheek to cheek.

"Ah, I know what that is," he cooed mockingly, "Love… a powerful and… stupid thing, especially when feathered vermin like you worms have it…"

Jupiter flinched at the scathing comment but Voldemort continued his taunts. He raised Ruby in his claws towards his face and snickered. "And yet, it's as easily broken as a feeble twig…"

Ruby, overcome with immense and unspeakable terror, began to writhe, tremble and cry uncontrollably. Voldemort then smiled wickedly at the other disguised birds as they looked on.

"But it's not just romantic love that's so dreadful," he crooned, "But also family love. Love between siblings, parents and chicks, and other relatives. No wonder that useless blue macaw with that mop of leaf-like feathers on his head wailed in immense anguish when he witnessed the gruesome slaughtering of his beloved family as a chick all those years ago…"

At this, Brisa felt a surge of disgust tear through her. Obviously Voldemort was referring to Roberto who was Brisa's mate. The scathing comment had also hit the nerve of Felipe as well for Roberto was one of his close friends and he had begun to tremble uncontrollably with rage, an urge to claw the scornful smile off of Voldemort's face beginning to take hold. Jupiter then spread his wings and flapped up to Voldemort, a demanding look on his face.

"Give her to me RIGHT now!" he barked, his talons reached out to reinforce his point. Despite his obvious aquaphobia of the rushing stream below him threatening to explode within him which would result in him scurrying, Jupiter remained focussed on Voldemort. Then Augustus tried to persuade Voldemort into handing Ruby over to Jupiter as Voldemort's flying foxes prepared to lash at the scarlet macaw, some with sharp-sticks poised.

"Give her to him, Voldemort, now," Augustus barked. Voldemort, at this, gazed at the flying fox standing before the group of birds, a look of disgust on his face that was as potent as that of dart frog poison.

"I'm afraid I do NOT listen to the comments of traitors!" he barked and then without hesitation or a second thought, the evil murderer of Roberto's family released Ruby, much to the immense horror of the group, especially Jupiter, Felipe and Pearl and Pearl screeched her sister's name as she watched her plummet. Ruby screamed as she hurtled through space, desperately trying to flap her near-featherless wings but to no avail. Jupiter then rushed forward but three flying foxes blocked his way while the others surged towards Augustus, Melissa and the other rescue birds to engage them in battle. However the rescue birds launched into action as a counterattack and then seconds later, the quiet night air was violent shattered as both groups collided. However, as the brawl began, Augustus commanded Melissa to have some of the rescue group take the remaining prisoners out of the flying foxes' territory while the rest of the group dealt with Voldemort's minions. Melissa, at first, hesitated but then she obeyed. Rounding up Sapphire, Monique, Zephyr, Brisa, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, two hyacinth macaws and Pearl (who was hesitant because of her sister but Felipe urged her to get Alfonso out of here) who had the battered, starving, near-featherless and terrified Waldo, Nuvem, Esmeralda, Ted, Alfonso, Lapis Lazuli, Orquidea and the young hyacinth macaw in their clutches, Melissa began to guide the macaws back in the direction of the birds' territory. However, she flashed a worried glance at the others and hoped that they would make it out as well.

As Melissa's group left and the battle between the remaining macaws, archaeobirds and their bat-birds and Augustus continued, there was a splash as Ruby had hit the water. However, it had ignited the violent rage within a certain scarlet macaw when he saw it happen. With an enraged screech, Jupiter raised his talons and savagely clawed his way past the group of flying foxes blocking his way and dived towards the rushing water, shouting Ruby's name.

"Jupiter!" barked Neptune as he slammed a flying fox onto ground to knock it out. As he approached the stream's surface, Jupiter's aquaphobia finally took hold. A torrent of memories came surging within Jupiter's mind and he began seeing water swirl all around him, feel his lungs scream for air, himself struggling in the current and most horrifying of all, a pair of scornful and murderous brown eyes and a grip of talons on his neck threatening to pull him under the rushing water in an attempt to drown him. Then Jupiter's mind heard a familiar voice say, "Not a chance, pretty bird, not until you DIE!"

His body began to shake like a leaf and his breathing began to spiral out of control. Jupiter's urge to flee then began to reach boiling point but then two familiar voices snapped him out of his thoughts.

"JUPITER!" shouted one, Neptune's.

"Ruby's down there!" shouted another, Felipe's. Upon hearing the two voices of his hyacinth macaw 'brother' and close scarlet friend, Jupiter was dragged out of the churning torrent of bad memories. When he found himself gazing into the eyes of Felipe and Neptune, Felipe pointed a talon down the stream. At this, Jupiter turned and saw a form struggle in the stream, screaming in extreme terror before going under again. Then shooting his gaze this way and that until his eyes landed on some thin green tendrils hanging from a branch from one of the half-dead trees, Jupiter darted over to them, Felipe and Neptune following. As soon as the trio had arrived at the branch, Jupiter snatched one of the vines and handed it to Felipe and Neptune while he hastily tied the other end around his waist.

"I want you both to hang on to the vine while I rescue Ruby," he commanded. At this, Felipe shot him a horrified look.

"WHAT!?" he barked.

"What are you talking about!?" demanded Neptune, "You know you hate rushing water!"

"JUST DO IT!" bellowed the scarlet macaw. Seeing how adamant Jupiter was in his decision to risk his life despite his fear of the water and after what had almost happened to him the last time he had fallen into a rushing stream, Neptune nodded to Felipe and they took hold of the vine. This done, the three hurried over the rushing stream, looking for Ruby. As soon as their eyes found the featherless form struggling to stay on the surface and fighting in vain against the churning current only to be dragged under again, the three slowed and Jupiter prepared to take the plunge. However, he was hesitant at first as he shuddered at the rushing and churning waters of the stream. Felipe and Neptune looked on, wondering whether Jupiter was able to face his fear of the rushing water or not. However despite his obvious fear of the churning water and the bad memories it brought back, Jupiter made his decision as he thought about the macaw he loved more than any other. Tucking in his wings, the scarlet macaw dived headfirst towards the rushing stream while Neptune and Felipe gripped the vine firmly ready to prevent Jupiter from being dragged away by the current and to haul him to safety. Before hitting the water, Jupiter closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then he felt his body strike the surface and penetrate it and soon, he was in a substance that was thicker than air.

The first few moments sent immense panic surging through Jupiter's body and as he opened his eyes and felt the turbulent current pull at him, his survival instinct began to kick in and he began to flap and kick to keep himself on the surface. As Jupiter did that, his cloak fell off, the mud coming off in a brown cloud and the bits of vegetation he had placed on his head, neck and talons were kicked or thrown off and they were sent spinning and tumbling away in the current. Then seconds later, Jupiter's vermillion plumage and teal and yellow wings and tail were visible again. Despite his struggles in the water, Jupiter began to look around for Ruby until his eyes landed on a struggling featherless form flailing helplessly in the water. Above, Felipe and Neptune followed the river, taking the vine with them to allow Jupiter to catch up to Ruby. Upstream, the battle between Augustus and the rescue group and Voldemort's group continued to rage when Voldemort emerged from the battle cloud, having struck down and injured one of the green macaws. The evil bat's eyes scanned the environment until they landed on two brown forms hanging on to a long thin green line down the stream. Smiling wickedly, the muscular bat rocketed off after them. Meanwhile, Jupiter continued struggling through the turbulent water towards the struggling Ruby, Felipe and Neptune hanging on to the vine.

"You're getting closer, Jupiter," shouted Felipe as Jupiter broke the surface to take a gasp of air. Jupiter, hearing these encouraging words, dived under despite his fear threatening to explode and continued struggling towards Ruby. Then after a few more agonising seconds, Jupiter was close enough to grab his helpless mate. His wings wrapped around Ruby's near-featherless body and he hung onto her like never before. When Felipe and Neptune saw this, they slowed to a hover and prepared to drag Jupiter ashore. Ruby, startled by the sudden feel of a feathered embrace surrounding her, struggled at first but when she saw it was only Jupiter as the two broke the surface and after gasping for air, his face recognisable to her now that his camouflage cloak had fallen off, began to shake with the feeling she had felt for the first time in four whole days. Around the couple, the rushing water continued to surge by, the current threatening to drag them away but with the vine tied around Jupiter's waist and Felipe and Neptune grasping it above, the pair of scarlet macaws were suspended. However, Felipe and Neptune had begun working on dragging the two macaws ashore now.

"J-J-Jupiter?" whispered Ruby timidly. Jupiter nodded. Overcome with relief, Ruby nestled her near-featherless head against Jupiter's waterlogged body and began to sob, Jupiter hugging her tightly. Above, Felipe and Neptune continued flapping, the vine pulled taut as they struggled to pull Jupiter and Ruby out of the strong current.

"We're almost there," shouted Neptune when he saw how close Jupiter and Ruby were to the bank. But no sooner than these words had escaped his beak when a familiar voice screeched, "look OUT!"

At this, the scarlet and larger hyacinth macaw looked up just in time to see a hulking brown bat with a hideously scarred face, rocket in towards them.

Voldemort surged in like an enormous missile, his eyes blazing immense fire and his mouth open ready to bite. His savage and bloodthirsty eyes were fixed on Felipe and his mouth was aiming for his side. When Neptune saw the wicked bat surge in towards Felipe, he exploded in alarm. Unintentionally releasing the vine, he heftily tackled Felipe away.

"LOOK OUT!" he barked as he knocked the red tribe patriarch out of the way. Felipe, stunned by Neptune's tackle, was knocked away, losing his grip on the vine in the process but then an ear-piercing screech sliced through the air. However, Felipe's loss of grip had dire consequences for Jupiter and Ruby and they were immediately swept away by the current. Neptune screamed as Voldemort's teeth sank hard into his hip, before pulling away as the evil bat flew past. Neptune's talon then went to his hip which was now beginning to ooze blood and he flapped clumsily to land. Voldemort then swerved round and surged towards Neptune again but then suddenly, a four-winged form riding on a bat-like bird creature surged in. With an enraged screech, Ophiuchus jumped off his bat-bird, spread his wings and legs out and glided towards Voldemort, his eyes blazing firestorms. Then without hesitation as soon as he had collided with Voldemort, Ophiuchus slashed the sickle-like claw on his left wing-leg right over the right side of the flying fox's face, right over the cheek's length. Voldemort's blood flew into the air from the impact area as the hulking flying fox let loose an agonised screech of his own. On the ground, Neptune crash landed and grasped his bitten side with a pained face as several macaws and archaeobirds came round. Augustus came in.

"Where's that macaw that was tied to the vine?" he demanded. At this, Felipe who had just realised that he had released the vine shot a mortified look downstream and rocketed in the direction of the current. Some of the other macaws were about to follow but they were soon confronted by some flying foxes. However, the archaeobirds all jumped in as Ophiuchus landed in on his bat-bird (who had caught him after he had slashed Voldemort clean over the face) and faced off against the massive bats.

"You rescue those two scarlet macaws," commanded Ophiuchus, "We'll deal with these bad bats."

Augustus, at first hesitated as the archaeobirds then began to engage the flying foxes in a battle but then obeyed. Together with the other macaws apart from a few who sought to the injured Neptune, he took off after Felipe.

Jupiter was going through another nightmare involving turbulent waters and a strong current. Due to the loss of grip Felipe and Neptune had on the vine due to Voldemort's intervention, him and his beloved Ruby were tumbling wildly in the rushing stream. The pair bumped into rocks and silt on the stream floor, kicking up a cloud in the process as the two tumbled with the current. Startled fish darted out of the way of the pair as they went by. However, Jupiter maintained his grip on Ruby but then he realised that his need for oxygen was skyrocketing. Above the stream, Felipe shouted Jupiter and Ruby's name as Augustus and the other macaws came in. Felipe shot the flying fox and his companions a terrified and panicked look.

"I-I-I can't find them ANYWHERE!" he screeched. Suddenly, Jonas caught sighted a splash of water with a red-orange form breaking the surface.

"There he is," said the large hyacinth macaw with a point of a large talon. At this, the others followed his point and saw Jupiter, with Ruby in his grasp, gasp for air before being pulled under the water again by the current. At this, the group darted off after the two. As they flew along, Augustus shot Felipe and two Spix macaws.

"You three get a strong vine, NOW!" he commanded. Felipe and the two Spix macaws nodded and rocketed off to look for one. As the others continued chasing Jupiter and Ruby, one of the blue-throated macaws saw something horrifying up ahead. The stream seemed to vanish in the distance but she immediately knew what that mean.

"GUYS!" she barked to the others, "WATERFALL, UP AHEAD!"

At this, Augustus shot upward and saw that the macaw was right. The turbulent stream cascaded into a waterfall only a few feet tall. However, despite its short height, this waterfall was lethal enough to drown any unfortunate bird or flying fox that had fallen into the rushing water upstream of it and send them to a watery grave. White water churned wildly at the bottom, the force of the water emptying from the ledge above packing enough force to push a small animal under the water and keep them there until they drowned which was made this waterfall so deadly. And Jupiter and Ruby were both heading straight for it. Seeing that there was little time left, Augustus looked around for Felipe and the two Spix macaws. When they finally returned with a long vine, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Right, let's throw this to those two macaws before they go over that waterfall," said Augustus as the group sorted the vine. When Felipe heard this, horror tore through him. Hastily, he grabbed hold of the vine and prepared to throw it with Augustus as soon as Jupiter and Ruby broke through the surface again. When the two macaws did that within only a few feet of the waterfall, Felipe shouted to Jupiter, "Here, grab this!"

At this, Jupiter looked up and saw a green tendril fly towards him. As it landed beside him, Jupiter, his wings firmly around Ruby, clamped his beak onto the vine while Ruby buried her head in to his chest, petrified. The two macaws were seconds away from going over the small waterfall now.

"Alright, then, everyone, PULL!" barked Augustus and with that, the group strained to pull the two macaws away from the verge of the waterfall. Jupiter kicked to help, all the while keeping his wings around Ruby and his beak clamped onto the vine. Felipe flew down close to the macaws and latched his talons onto Jupiter's shoulders to help drag him along. As the group strained to drag Jupiter and Ruby away from the waterfall, Jupiter's life, among them the important events, began to flash before his eyes.

The first time he met Susan, Lucy, Blake, Drake and Jake and the other macaws as a chick back in England flashed in his head, followed by the adventures the group had in London as they grew up, meeting Veggie, Dash, Travis and Sunset as a kitten, puppy and young cockatoos, the shocking revelation of Venus, Mercury and Pluto as being Spix, Lear's and glaucous macaws respectively, the group's travel to and subsequent adventures to Rio, meeting Ruby and her friends, facing the wrath of Brutus during the group's escape from the smugglers' den, meeting Blu, Jewel and a Carla, Bia and Tiago, his first dance with Ruby, the events which led him and Ruby into falling in love and becoming mates, the hatching of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto and meeting the chicks of the other couples such as Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil the first brood of Zephyr and Venus, the adventure into the Amazon rainforest and meeting the Spix macaw tribe and the other tribes and clans for the first time, the experience with the most recent forest fire, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto growing up and becoming the other halves of Sheldon, Byron, Mimas, and Athos from Guyana, his meeting of and subsequent dealings with Nigel including his attempted drowning of him in another turbulent stream and other events. A fuzzy vision of a white flying fox flanked by two other bats, one reddish and the other dark chocolate brown with some colourful feathered forms standing by them gazing at him also played in his mind. As Jupiter's mind went through this sequence of memories, he soon felt that he was back on dry land, the land under him solid ground.

"We've done it, well done, everyone!" sounded a voice. At this, Jupiter stirred and gazed upward. His vision swam in a sea of fuzz but then he felt a feathered wing tap his face.

"Come on, Jupiter, you and Ruby are back on dry land now," said Felipe's voice. At this, Jupiter shook his head in confusion but then the urge to cough took hold. He began to cough and splutter water out of his lungs. Ruby, who was in his wings, also did the same. He was trembling from the whole ordeal and was cold; his feathers utterly were waterlogged and caked in mud. Augustus then began to check his vital signs but as he did so, he somehow felt this to be familiar.

"I remember Lily telling us that she, Ana and Marcus had pulled a scarlet macaw from the river before," he murmured. This sent a small jolt coursing through Jupiter and he sat up, Ruby in his wings. Jupiter then shot confused gazes around at the group.

"What happened?" he asked wearily. Ruby also looked around confused. However, commotion soon sounded and Augustus heard Melissa's voice in the distance, shouting them to get out of here.

"We'd better go, NOW!" barked Augustus and with that, the macaws all lofted into flight. Felipe took hold of Ruby while Jonas picked up Jupiter for his feathers were too wet to allow him to fly. Then within moments, the group was off.

Augustus led the way and soon, the archaeobirds, having dealt with the interfering flying foxes, had joined them on their bat-birds. In the distance, Melissa's group was hovering, two hyacinth macaws carrying Neptune with them, waiting for them. As they passed over the struggling form of Voldemort who was holding his right cheek with his wings, still uttering agonised cries of pain, Felipe shot the flying fox a wondering, but also smug, look.

"What's happened to him?" asked he. Ophiuchus gazed down at Voldemort from his bat-bird.

"I clawed him across the cheek," he replied without shame, "He's likely to receive a hideous scar as a result in the future."

The others winced in utter shock.

"He's gonna end up like scarred like Cicatriz when that amazon parrot clawed him across the left eye," said Mars, "Only difference being a massive scar on the cheek."

"Let's just focus on getting out of here," said Augustus firmly. Then a little while later, they were soon joined by Melissa's group. Saturn carried Orquidea, Uranus carried Esmeralda while another great green macaw carried Ted, Monique and Sapphire carried Waldo, Zephyr and Brisa carried Nuvem, Pearl had Alfonso in her talons and the hyacinth macaw was carried by one of his clan-mates. When Saturn saw the state of Jupiter, he drew in a breath of horror.

"Good grief, what on earth has happened to you, Jupiter?" asked he.

"We've no time to explain anything," said Augustus, "let's just get outa here. We've been in this dark land long enough."

"The sooner we're out of here, the better," said Melissa. The others nodded in agreement. They clearly wanted to leave this dark region too for it was completely smothered by the graveyard of lands that once belonged to countless bird tribes, clans and small groups, flocks that had been mercilessly driven out by the flying fox colony, all done in the name of grabbing territory based on a bunch of outright lies that had been passed down generations of bats. Augustus felt nauseated at this fact and had hoped that he, or another flying fox that was completely against the anti-bird teaching, would put things right eventually. But that was currently out of reach due to complicated reasons at the moment. Things needed to be sorted out first.

Augustus and the others continued flying at a fast rate. They knew they were not out of danger yet and they had quite some distance of flying fox territory to go until they reached the safety of the birds' territory and the Sanctuary de Amazon. Above, the moon continued beaming its silvery shafts onto the forest, the Milky Way flowing like a sea of glitter across the night sky and a few clouds slid gently across either that or the moon. As the group flew along, Ophiuchus saw some dark forms in the distance approach them. At this, alarm tore through him.

"GUYS!" he barked. The others turned just in time to see the dark forms, all with large hand-like wings fly towards them and when they saw who was in front of the group, Augustus and Melissa released startled squeaks and the group stopped abruptly into a hover as the group of dark forms, which was another group of flying foxes, approached the rescue group and then hovered before them. At the front of this new group were the dreaded Cicatriz and Iracebeth. With them were Cruella, Melissa's most detested flying fox, Shinzon and Ratigan. All the bats wore outraged and scornful looks on their faces as they gazed at the group, particularly Augustus and Melissa.

"Leaving so soon!?" crooned Cicatriz in a sweet voice acidified with mockery. Augustus and Melissa, however, didn't say anything. Among the group of birds, Orquidea, Waldo, Ruby and the other six surviving prisoners all whimpered timidly. Cicatriz continued.

"Augustus and Melissa and your association with those winged disaster bringers that are the feathered rodents," said Cicatriz, "I _knew_ there was something amiss about you two."

"And it seems that your white misfit offspring, Sebastian, Stella and Luna had gone missing as well," put in Iracebeth, "We have been searching high and low for you!"

Still Augustus and his mate said nothing. However, their faces were creased into stares acidified with detestation, especially as Melissa's eyes were fixed upon Cruella. Saturn and Uranus, when they saw how acidic the glares were on Augustus and Melissa's faces, flinched as they were reminded of such glares borne by Blu and Jewel when they saw Nigel, the cockatoo they hated most. It was the look of poison, of venom, an acid that was far more corrosive than any acidic substance Saturn and Uranus had ever known. Cicatriz's scorn then gave way to rage as he began to confront his brother and sister-in-law. As he shouted, spittle flew from his mouth.

"Why have you betrayed us!?" he barked, "Why have you gone over to the side of those flying disasters in feathers?"

"Is it any wonder your parents called you a 'hopeless case', you coward?" put in Iracebeth furiously, "You're honestly no different from your mate's cousin, Lily and her abhorrent allegiance to those birds..."

"ABHORRENT!?" snapped Augustus expectantly, lurching towards Cicatriz and Iracebeth, making the birds and bat-birds jump, "YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S ABHORRENT!? IT'S THOSE STUPID LIES ABOUT THESE POOR BIRDS!" he gestured with a membranous wing to the birds in the rescue group. None of the birds said anything. Cicatriz was about to retort but Augustus swept on.

"NOT TO MENTION THE SUFFERING OUR COLONY HAS PUT COUNTLESS BIRD TRIBES, CLANS AND SMALL GROUPS THROUGH, SUCH AS A TRIBE OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED BLUE MACAWS WITH GREY HEADS…"

Pluto, when he heard this, thought Augustus was referring to the Spix macaw tribe but Lapis Lazuli in his talons, who flinched and wept, confirmed that Augustus was talking about the glaucous macaw tribe.

"HONESTLY," Augustus continued to bellow, "WHAT OUR COLONY IS DOING TO THOSE POOR BIRDS IS UTTERLY AND ABSOLUTELY SICK! IS IT ANY WONDER WE BATS HAVE EARNED THE REPUTATION AS BEING THE SWORN ENEMIES OF EVERY BIRD IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST!?"

"EVERY BIRD in the AMAZON RAINFOREST is OUR SWORN ENEMIES, BRO!" retorted Cicatriz but Augustus cut him off.

"Do NOT call me YOUR BROTHER!" he snapped, sending immense flabbergast coursing through Cicatriz and his face actually took on the expression of it. The birds looked on, astounded at Augustus's boldness but they should not be surprised. Augustus had kept his allegiance to the birds a secret for so long that he was finally letting it out, even going as far as to yelling at Cicatriz not to call him his brother. Then Iracebeth came in and without hesitation sent a membranous wing smacking right over Augustus's face.

"How DARE you speak to your older brother like THAT!" she barked, her eyes ablaze with extreme fire. Augustus glared back at her with an acidic gaze as he raised a foot to his cheek, the one that had been painfully slapped. Then Melissa fluttered forward and, much to the astonishment of the birds and Cicatriz and the other flying foxes behind him, without hesitation hurled a glob of saliva right into Iracebeth's face, making her jerk back in extreme shock.

"AND how dare YOU SLAP MY MATE ACROSS THE FACE LIKE THAT, YOU UGLY HAG!" bellowed she. That did it. Iracebeth's face flared up like a flammable gas catching fire.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?" she screeched. Then Cicatriz fluttered in, a look of thunder on his face.

"I honestly had a hunch that you two were against the teachings of our colony about those flying disasters," he shouted, a nod to the hovering birds, "That you'd eventually fall to their side…" his gaze then fell on Melissa, "just like how your lousy white misfit runt of a cousin fell to their side before you."

Melissa shook with unspeakable rage but then Cruella began to seize the opportunity to do the most spiteful thing she had ever done. She decided to strike one of her highly sensitive nerves.

"I'll always remember watchin' her die in a pool of blood after receiving the deathblow, lil' brat," she crooned, making Melissa tremble more, the volcano of wrath threatening to erupt within her. Mars went to rush to Melissa's defence but Felipe blocked his way, shaking his head and telling him to not intervene. He knew what was coming and wanted Melissa to give Cruella a piece of her mind. Cruella hardened her spiteful smile. "And also watchin' you scream like a big baby pup in immense anguish over the death of your beloved cousin. It sure was funny…"

That did it. With an extremely loud, bloodcurdling flying fox screech, Melissa raised her foot claws and scored them hard across Cruella's face, the volcano of wrath finally erupting violently. Cruella's head was violently flung in the direction, blood drops flying in the direction of Melissa's claws, one of them landing on Shinzon, much to his immense shock. Then Cruella's foot claws went to her face and covered it, more blood pouring through the toes. Augustus then barked at the others to make a break for it.

"GO, GO, GO!" he screeched and with that, the sounds of flapping wings sounded as the group hastily rocketed in the direction of the birds' territory but before he left, Augustus inflicted Cicatriz and Iracebeth a slash across the faces as well, making them screech in agony. Within seconds, Augustus, Melissa, the macaws with all nine prisoners and the injured in their talons and the archaeobirds on their bat-birds were flying at top speed. The hyacinth macaws got ahead for they were bigger and had larger wings.

"GEEEET THEEEEEEM!" screeched Cicatriz's voice and soon, the rescue group was being pursued by the sounds of flapping membranous wings. Shinzon, Ratigan and the rest of the flying foxes were flying like rockets and because they were bigger than the smaller macaw species and the archaeobirds, they were beginning to gain on them. Devilish laughter exploded from their mouths as they chased down the rescue group, sending shivers down their spines and prompting them to fly faster. The bats' minds flashed with all kinds of gruesome images of the rescue group dying as their owners looked forward to slaughtering the rescue group once they had caught them.

"ONCE WE CATCH YOU, YOU TWO TRAITERS," screeched Shinzon, "WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU TO DEATH IN THE SAME WAY THAT WHITE RUNT LILY DIED WHEN SHE WAS CAUGHT!"

Augustus did not look back and continued leading the group to safety. Lapis Lazuli, who was in Pluto's talons, stole a glance back and when she saw the bats and how fast the gap between them and the rescue group was closing, she emitted a piercing scream.

"They're GAINING ON US!" she cried.

"Oh, don't look back, my feathered friends," said Augustus urgently, calling the birds that for the first time, "Don't look back."

The other birds also wore horrified looks on their faces and the bat-birds were especially frightened and continued flapping like mad. Still Shinzon, Ratigan and the other bats continued to gain on the rescue group. Ahead of the smaller birds, the hyacinth macaws called the others to fly faster. The hearts of the birds, Augustus and Melissa were beating around ten to the dozen, adrenaline coursing through their blood vessels, their lungs straining to absorb as much oxygen as they could for the muscles of their owners, leading to them rapidly breathing. It was clear that the group had entered 'survival threat' mode'. But despite all they had and all their bodies could do to make them fly any faster, still Shinzon and his group closed in on them and were now seconds away from the backmost birds. When Ophiuchus saw how close the evil flying foxes were to the backmost members, he shouted to Agitha, "Time to deploy the Cegador Powder I think. We're not gonna be able to outfly them."

At this, Felipe who was flapping like mad shot Ophiuchus a confused look as Agitha and some other archaeobirds took up some ball-shaped leaves. Then the scarlet macaw's eye started to behind when he heard frightened screams explode from the backmost birds. Ratigan and Shinzon and some other bats then began to snap their teeth at the tail feathers of some of the macaws, among them Pluto with Lapis Lazuli, and the diamond-tipped tails of two of the bat-birds, much to their horror. Augustus stole a glance at the group's pursuers.

"Oh, four-winged birds," he barked in alarm, "If you've got those powder things ready, I should RELEASE THEM NOW!"

At this, Shinzon, Ratigan and their companions looked up in confusion when they heard Augustus shout this.

"Powder things-?" began Shinzon but no sooner than the two words had left his mouth when all of a sudden, several green things flew at the flying foxes and exploded in their faces. A huge yellow-brown dust cloud then billowed right in the faces of the rescue group's pursuers, followed by a cacophony of gasping, spluttering, coughing and yelps of pain and frustration and the pursuing group to abruptly break. Shinzon, with one wing on his throat, gasped, spluttered and hacked to cough the powder out of his lungs while the other bats flapped their wings to disperse the cloud, also coughing and spluttering. However, the powder particles had another property and some of the bats found that out as their eyes began to sting and leak tears. Ratigan's wings went to his eyes.

"Argh, my EEEYYEEES!" he bellowed in pain. The other bats also wailed in pain as the dust began to irritate their eyes as well. Tears streamed and coughs continued to erupt from the bats. This continued for another few seconds until Shinzon, his eyes streaming tears continuously from the irritating powder particles then looked in the direction of the rescue group as the cloud began to disperse. However, to his extreme dismay, the rescue group was nowhere to be seen. With a screech of frustration, Shinzon commanded the other bats who were still coughing and spluttering to clear their lungs of any remaining powder particles, to break off the chase and return to Cicatriz and Iracebeth.

Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group had gone.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31- shocking revelations**

 **Meanwhile**

The crowd of birds continued to wait anxiously for the rescue group in the green tribe's home grove. The rescue group had been gone for well over an hour now and nervousness and dread were approaching boiling point. In one area, Carla and company were lounging around with some of their parents, immense worry bubbling within them. Venus and Roberto sat with Mercury, Chiquitita, Ultramarine and Cobalto, their first-brood offspring crowded around them, their minds swimming with all kinds of dreadful things that could have happened to the rescue group. Venus, who sat with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and also Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, was deeply troubled by the absence of Zephyr, as was Roberto, Jojo, Felix and Lavender with Brisa's absence. Nearby, Cassia sat with Tyler and Ricardo, a look of extreme worry plastering her face. Cassia had wanted to help on the rescue mission but she had been told to stay behind due to the dangers involved for one and the Spix tribe needed her for their nurse team for another, and Tyler and Ricardo had been extremely worried about their father Nuvem who had been one of the victims successfully kidnapped by the flying foxes.

Next to the Spix macaws, Chiquitita sat with Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos, worries about Jupiter, Ruby and Mars storming their minds. Mercury, who sat with Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette and also Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus, the first-brood offspring of Saturn and Orquidea; Pluto and Lapis Lazuli's four first-brood offspring, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy and Flor, and Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, Uranus and Esmeraldas's first brood offspring, also lounged around, some asleep as they waited for the rescue group's return. Io, Mimas, Miranda, Blueberry and their siblings were especially worried for both their parents. Their mothers had been taken to the dreaded flying fox territory while their fathers had volunteered to go on the mission, and were especially worried that both their parents might not make it back. If that were to happen, they, along with Amalthea and Oliver (Io and her two sisters and brother's younger siblings), Hyperion and Gordon (Mimas and her six siblings' younger brothers) and Edmund (the younger brother of Miranda and her four siblings) will end up orphaned. Nearby, Ultramarine, Triton, Indigo, Cobalto, Aurelio, Azul and Wilbur waited with the closest friends of Carla's group. Turquesa, Músculo, Garrett of the Spix macaws, Squaw'tagnan of the Lear's macaws, Estelle, Sheldon, Benjamin and Byron of the red macaws, Brooke, Bastian and Porthos of the blue-and-gold macaws, Aramis and Ash of the green macaws, Penelope, Victor and Trixie of the hyacinth macaws, Fernanda of the blue-throated macaws, Neytiri and Aiden of the glaucous macaws and the smaller group friends, Caspian and Citrine from the golden conures, Alessandro and Rhiannon from the chestnut-fronted macaws and Mariposa and Kiawe from the blue-headed macaws all sat with their parents, some of them hugging their other halves (such as Neytiri with Charon, Porthos with Dione, etc.). Nearby, Orion, Velocity, Diantha, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena stood with Stella, Luna and Sebastian as they also awaited the rescue group's return.

To pass the time, the three young albino flying foxes were talking with Eustace's group about the customs of the flying fox colony and their anti-bird teachings, as well as their family history.

"When I was a young pup," said Sebastian, Eustace and the other eight listening while eating some fruit or in Orion and Velocity's case, some tapir meat brought to them by some of Alonso's tribe members, "I was forced to attend these bird fighting classes…"

He then nodded to Stella and Luna who brought a carved fruit shaped like a bird. Seeds were placed on the head to represent eyes while two halves of a nutshell was used to represent a beak. Sebastian nodded to the model.

"We were trained to fight against bird dummies similar to that model," said he.

"It wasn't training you in self-defence or anything, wasn't it?" asked Eustace. Sebastian shook his head.

"No," he said, "It's to sharpen our skills for when we take on real birds, even innocent birds, so that we could earn our first trophy in the form of a collected flight feather from our first victim…" Sebastian breathed a remorseful sigh and sat down. "I absolutely _loathed_ those lessons. I never really saw any point in attacking innocent birds based on what Mom and Dad told me…"

"But you'd still need the basic skills in self-defence in case you run into a rogue bird that might attack you for no reason," said Milo. Sebastian gazed at him with his reddish eyes lacking in pigment.

"It was nothing of the sort," he replied sadly, "This was actually to fight birds without their provoking us whatsoever. And if I were to say who would be the rogue creatures, it would be us flying foxes, not the other way round."

"Especially when we have to use these horrible weapons," added Stella, "Such as those sticks with a sharpened end."

"Countless innocent birds have been killed because of teenaged pups going out and earning their first trophy, combined with the bird tribes and clans losing their homes to our colony when they drive them out," added Luna. Her gaze then landed on Roberto as he sat with his family and nephews and nieces. "And I believe the family of that blue macaw with the set of leaf-like head feathers were some of those innocent victims…"

"Mom and Dad told us that Voldemort, one of the nastiest bats in the colony," said Sebastian, "had participated in slaughtering that macaw's family when he was a teenaged pup. Apparently, he had killed most of them and had fatally stabbed his father…"

Clemont shuddered at the mentioning of that psychopathic bat, the one that had slashed him across the belly with his foot claws during the confrontation in the former territory of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws and blue-throated macaws before Orquidea and Ruby were snatched over four days ago. The scratches across his stomach, though they were half-healed, had served as a reminder to their barer of his near life-risking move to attack such a savage bat. Then Stella and Luna moved on to another subject, the few flying foxes of the colon y that were against the anti-bird teachings alongside their parents and also their first-cousin-once-removed.

"There are some flying foxes in our colony that disagree completely with the teachings you know," said Stella, "Us three and Mom and Dad aren't, and haven't been, the only ones to despise the teachings about birds of the Amazon, such as them as being the cause of all the disasters that negatively affected the colony in some way such as logging."

"That's obviously just a fabricated story, isn't it?" said Rosa as she stood by Clemont, "But it's horrifying how so many bats believe that."

"Not to mention generations of them," added Luna. At this, Eustace's group felt shock spark within them.

"Generations!?" blurted out Diantha incredulously. Sebastian, Stella and Luna nodded.

"Anyway, coming back to the few of us that disagree with those teachings," said Stella, "Even fewer flying foxes actually took to protecting as many birds as they could from the rest of the colony." "Mom's cousin Lily was one of them, along with her friends Marcus and Ana," said Sebastian.

"Really?" said Orion as he ate a piece of meat with Velocity.

"Yes," said Stella, "She kept quite a large number of birds, especially those of the rare and near-extinct species, hidden from the other bats for a long time. Only Mom and Dad had known about the secret hiding place but then…" Stella's face then fell.

"But then what?" asked Velocity.

"Then Lily's hiding place was found out and she was brought before Cicatriz and Iracebeth," said Sebastian, "It happened shortly after my twin sisters here were born and she was put to death before the higher ranking bats and most of the colony," he breathed a sad sigh, "And that brings us to another depressing trait of our colony. If you're a flying fox that disagrees with the anti-bird teachings and even worse, friends with even one creature that has feathers, you're treated as an outcast, a coward and a hopeless case."

"And if you're found to be helping birds furthermore," said Stella, "You were killed. It's honestly an extremely difficult life living in that colony that believes a massive web of lies that have been taught through the generations, the basis of our colony's driving out of so many bird flocks and grabbing their land…"

Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Orion, Velocity and Diantha looked on, saddened by the facts.

"And that's not all," added Sebastian, "Because of what our colony does, earning us the notorious reputation as being every Amazon bird's sworn enemies, there is extreme discrimination hanging over each and every one of us bats even if we mean no harm. The vast majority of the bird tribes, clans and groups just see us as barbaric, savage winged furballs as a result and if any friendly flying fox was caught on a bird's territory, they were either violently driven out or even put to death."

"It seems that your colony's notorious history of driving out so many bird flocks has painted a horrible picture of even friendly bats like you and your parents…" said Velocity.

"It has," said Sebastian, "It absolutely has. That was why it had been extremely difficult for us five to show our allegiance to you birds and attempt to help you protect your homes against our colony…"

As he said this, a tear welled in Sebastian's eye and rolled down his cheek as the adolescent albino bat sat down. "The homes of your macaw and other jungle friends are at risk because of our colony now. It has been a difficult time for you lot because of them…"

"We're not surprised," said Eustace, "It has interrupted our visit to see our jungle friends, the Pit of Games championships…"

"And also the daily life and activities of the bird flocks here," added Rosa. Sebastian, Stella and Luna nodded in agreement. Then another thought entered Sebastian's head as he gazed at the colourful sea of waiting birds and the night sky, and also at Carla and company. "Mom, Dad and the rescue group should be back by now," he said. "It sure is getting late…"

No sooner had he finished saying these words when suddenly, an uproarious cheer rose from the flock of macaws and various other birds. Sebastian jolted his head up and he gazed at the stirring sea of colourful feathers. Carla and company also sprang into action and were taking off, apart from a few who could not fly well, such as Garrett with his tattered tail.

"Sounds like they are, Sebastian," said Eustace as he, his brother, sister, girlfriend and other four friends opened their wings and also took off. Sebastian, Stella and Luna followed.

Within moments, the night air was absolutely flooded with uproarious cheering, along with several hundred colourful streaks as macaws and other birds converged towards a group of lookouts who had been on the lookout for Augustus, Melissa and the rescue group. Among the crowd, Alonso, Verde and also Mercury, Venus, Roberto, Chiquitita, Ultramarine, Cobalto and Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and all their friends rocketed towards the incoming rescue group as they were swamped by the crowd of cheering birds and guided towards the announcement boulder where announcements were made to the green tribe. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre were the first to arrive along with Sheldon, Estelle and Byron. When their eyes landed on Jupiter and Mars as the rescue group lighted down onto the boulder, Jupiter being placed onto the surface by a hyacinth macaw, the first seven shouted, "DAD!" and rocketed off towards the two macaws. Benjamin and Regina also rocketed off after Felipe and Pearl as soon as they had spotted them with Alfonso.

Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus darted off after Saturn while Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon made a beeline for Uranus. Indigo and Triton, together with Ultramarine, rushed for Neptune while Charon, Quincy, Flor and Blueberry met Pluto. Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette also met with Monique and Sapphire and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Tyler and Ricardo, together with Venus and Roberto, hurried off to see Brisa and Zephyr. Then as soon as all the relatives had met those that had participated in the rescue, they were immediately locked in a group hug, tears streaming down their faces. Sebastian, Stella and Luna also collided with Augustus and Melissa in a group hug as well while Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Wilbur, Aurelio, Fernanda and Azul, met with Zephyr and Brisa with their friends and hugged them. However, when Carla and company saw the state of Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, Lapis Lazuli, Waldo, Nuvem, Alfonso and the young hyacinth macaw as they were gently placed onto the surface of the boulder, horror and disbelief tore through them. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto broke the hug with Jupiter and went over to Ruby to hug her as well, despite being appalled by her bedraggled and gaunt look.

"I'm so glad that you've managed to make it out of those furballs' territory," cried Io as she broke the hug with Ruby. Jupiter was too tired to say anything. His entire plumage was sopping wet and his entire mud and vegetation disguise was missing, having been washed off completely. Furthermore, he was trembling and was struggling to stand up. Then Eustace and his group arrived.

"Good grief," murmured Eustace in horror when he saw the state of the nine prisoner macaws. The other seven were too stricken with disbelief to even say anything about the prisoners. Then Mimas and her six siblings appeared with Saturn as Cobalto talked to them.

"Those nine are gonna need to be taken to the animal hospital right away," said he, a nod to Orquidea, Ruby and the other seven.

"I cannot believe the state they had been reduced to," added Aurelio. Saturn, however, only replied with a weary gaze. Like Jupiter, he was exhausted and all he could think about was sleep. Behind him, Uranus, Mars, Zephyr, Brisa, Pluto, Sapphire and Monique all wore the same look and Pluto actually collapsed on his front. However, Rodrigo helped him to his feet. In the crowd, Neptune was being fussed over by some of his friends and especially Ultramarine, Indigo and Triton who had been horrified to see the bite wound on his side, Ophiuchus and the other archaeobirds and their bat-birds were being fussed over by their clan-mates and the other participants of the rescue had received congrats and pats from their friends on their bravery and a successful rescue. Augustus and Melissa had also been congratulated. For the first time in so long, the two felt that the image that they were forced to bear based on their colony's attributes was finally crumbling and that the birds saw them who they truly were. The other rescuers were also extremely happy but like Jupiter and some of the others, they were also extremely tired. Their disguises had run, the brown mud suit having formed holes and revealing spots of brightly coloured feathers. However, the rescue group had to remain awake for there was a serious matter to discuss first. Then Augustus's attention turned to the nine prisoners as the crowd backed away from them. The rescue group retreated to one side.

"Those nine need treatment right away," he said firmly, "Do you have any place where they could go?"

Orion came in. "The animal hospital's the best place," he said. "At least they'll be safe there."

"Well before they go anywhere, we need to know what has happened," said Alonso's voice. At this, all eyes turned to the green tribe patriarch and his mate as they walked in, a firm look on each of their faces. Zephyr and Brisa who stood with their respective mates Venus and Roberto and their first-brood offspring shot Alonso a look.

"But Alonso," protested Zephyr, "These nine are in critical condition!"

Alonso calmly raised a wing as if to say, "In a minute," before clapping his wings to gather the crowd's attention. Zephyr, Brisa and their families then joined the crowd to listen what Ruby and the other eight had to say. This was clearly a serious matter that needed to be discussed but then Alonso realised the number of macaws.

"I'm afraid we could not find any of the others," explained Augustus sadly.

"Yes," added Melissa, "These nine are the only ones left." At this, Alonso and Verde gazed at the pair with sad eyes.

"We'll have to have a funeral for those deceased birds then but that will have to wait," said Alonso in a low voice.

"In the meantime, you join the other rescuers over there," said Verde. Augustus and Melissa nodded and did so. Then Alonso called the crowd's attention. As soon as everyone had become quiet, Alonso began to give his opening speech.

"Well, I'd like to genuinely thank our rescue group for successfully getting these nine macaws out of that hideous territory of those furballs," he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the air above the gathered crowd, "And I especially would like to thank Augustus and Melissa for helping us in the rescue as well. I'm so glad there are some flying foxes in the colony who are willing to help us birds after all…"

Augustus and Melissa smiled as they sat with Sebastian, Stella and Luna and also the rescue group. Then Alonso turned serious and nodded to Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ted, Lapis Lazuli, Waldo, Nuvem, Alfonso and the young hyacinth macaw and said, "But next, we need to know what happened from these nine during their horrible, _horrible_ time in those rotten bats' territory."

He then nodded to the nine prisoners and they prepared to speak to the crowd. They struggled to stand but some of the macaws helped them. Felipe supported Alfonso while Pearl supported Ruby. Ruby opened up as all ears were cocked to receive the important information.

"After Orquidea and I found ourselves in the territory of the flying foxes, tied to some trees with some unbreakable vines with the other kidnapped macaws," she began, "Cicatriz and some of his minions came in, prepared to interrogate us."

Nuvem, supported by a Spix macaw for he was too weak to stand by himself, then stepped in and said, "Those flying foxes asked us questions about our tribes, clans and groups, and also our territories. They asked us about the size of our tribes and clans, what sort of habitat each tribe and clan lived in and also how big our tribes and clans were."

"They also asked us about the archaeobirds," said Lapis Lazuli, a nod to Ophiuchus and some archaeobirds, "Including what sort of bird they were, where they came from, what their bat-birds were and where they lived."

Ophiuchus, at this, flashed a surprised glance.

"Go on," he said.

"The bats also asked us about why our territories had not seen logging activity for so long as well," said Esmeralda, "And also why the glaucous macaw tribe was still living."

Ted, Waldo, Alfonso, Orquidea and the young hyacinth macaw all murmured in agreement. At this, Pluto, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor blinked in surprise, while Aiden and Neytiri looked on and said nothing. Then Waldo began to tremble and weep. His weak, gaunt, near-featherless and beaten body began to shake like a leaf.

"When we absolutely refused to answer their questions," he said in an edgy, quivery voice, "They did all kinds of horrible things to us."

At this, horrified gasps rolled through the crowd. Felipe and Pearl also glanced at each other in horror as they continued to hold up Ruby and Alfonso.

"What sort of horrible things did they do to you?" asked Jupiter from the rescue group, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto sitting around him. Sheldon, Byron and Mimas also sat with the four scarlet macaws while Mimas's six siblings Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus sat with Saturn, Trixie, Porthos, Brooke, Bastian, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis, Uranus and Ash, all with horrified looks on their faces. Orquidea then spoke and began to show the crowd the extent of the damage she and the other eight had received from their flying fox interrogators. In full view of the moonlight, it was clear to see that their near-featherless skins were covered with mottled black-blue blotches of bruises and half-healed pink-red cuts and gashes and also dots, indicating tooth marks. Flecks of feathers dotted their skins and their wings were almost featherless, like those of a newly hatched macaw chick's.

"They beat us hard, either with sticks or their own wings or feet," said the traumatised and almost naked blue-and-gold macaw shakily, "They spat on us, slashed us with their claws, bit us and tore out large clumps of feathers."

More horrified gasps rolled through the crowd. Then Ruby spread her featherless wings out and said, "The flight feathers of our wings and tail were viciously ripped out," she groaned. This sent flinches rolling through the crowd as they winced from the pain that must have been, and Spock who sat with Ophiuchus, and Jupiter especially winced. The former had had some of the flight feathers from his fore-wing, leg and tail torn while the later remembered the late Brutus the cat tearing some flight feathers out of his wing as well so the two had a good idea of how painful it was to have flight feathers torn out of their wings or tail. Ruby then continued. However, she began to tremble and weep.

"They also threw us about, threw stones and mud at us," she said in a shaky voice, "And they sometimes tied us with a vine and suspended us from a branch where they beat us with sticks…"

"They also starved us," added Esmeralda in a weak, strangled voice, "deprived us of sleep for four whole nights, and even strangled us…"

She then showed the crowd a ring of dark bruises on her neck. Waldo, Lapis Lazuli, Ruby, Alfonso and Nuvem also had these dark blotches encircling their entire necks. One or two of them also had bruising around their eye were one of the strikes of their interrogators had landed.

"Those bats would take a strong vine, wrap it around our necks and pull it so tight that we could not breathe," said Nuvem shakily, "They kept choking us until we passed out and they would repeat it until we told them what they wanted to hear."

"And that's not all," said Ted, "The flying foxes also took us to the edge of the stream nearby and forcibly submerged us and kept our heads underwater until we're almost at the point of drowning. They would bring our heads out of the water so that we could breathe and then shove us back under the water again. The only time when they would stop doing that was when we answered their questions…"

This sent shivers down the spines of most of the birds in the crowd and Augustus and Melissa looked on in horror.

"The bats also did not just torture us into answering their questions either," said Nuvem, "The bats also tortured us for the fun of it. they would taunt us with food by holding a piece of fruit near our beaks and when we tried to snap our beaks onto it, they'd move it away and repeat the process… they would terrify us at night…" he then nodded to Lapis Lazuli, who was trembling violently and said, "They gave her the worst of it. They had her suspended in a tree via a vine at night and they would scream at her and beat her up in the most terrifying way possible. We often heard her scream in terror every night…"

More horrified gasps rolled through the crowd, especially the glaucous macaws, and Pluto shuddered violently.

"No," cried Neptune as he lay beside Ultramarine, Indigo and Triton, "They couldn't have…"

However, the look on Nuvem's face confirmed it. Lapis Lazuli had been especially abused at night by the sadistic bats. And this was likely to have a devastating effect on the scar she had received when she was young and her tribe had been driven out by the flying foxes. Rodrigo also felt nauseated and daren't say a word, before shame and guilt at his abandonment of her during that time took hold and he began to weep and sob. Then Alonso asked the next important question.

"What did you tell those flying foxes?" he asked. This made dread boil within Augustus and Melissa, and also Sebastian, Stella and Luna and they expected the worst. Ruby looked up guiltily at the green tribe patriarch and shuddered violently.

"Well, at first, we refused to answer those bats' questions or gave out useless information but when our interrogators began to use more violent abuse on us," she said in a strangled voice, "We were forced to give truthful answers, otherwise we'd have died had we not done what they told us."

"That happened to the other prisoners when they refused to speak," said Nuvem. His eyes then began to ooze tears and he shuddered, "They were tortured to death through means that I won't describe."

At this, more horrified draws of breath rolled through the crowd.

"Did you tell them anything important?" asked Felipe in a slightly demanding voice to Ruby. Pearl also looked at her starved and beaten sister expectantly. All ears in the crowd tuned in more to receive the important information. Ruby then began to tremble. Felipe was obviously not going to like this.

"I-I-I-I told the bats about our tribe, the red tribe, what sort of habitat they lived in and how big they were," said Ruby.

"I did as well," confessed Alfonso. This sent dread tearing through Felipe and Pearl and their beaks dropped open in immense disbelief.

"We're so sorry but we were put through so much agony…" said Alfonso shakily.

"I also told them about the Spix macaw tribe," said Nuvem, "And also about our ravine…"

"And we told them about the green macaw tribe and our home as well," said Esmeralda in a guilt-laced voice. Ted nodded in agreement, a tear falling from his eye. Alonso and Verde looked on in flabbergast, not believing their ears.

"I also told the bats about the Lear's macaw tribe and our ravine as well," added Waldo, much to Sapphire, Mercury, Monique and the other Lear's macaws present's utter horror. Orquidea also confessed to telling the bats about the blue-and-gold tribe and their home, as did the young hyacinth macaw about the Navyfeather Clan, and Lapis Lazuli about the glaucous macaw tribe. However, she and Nuvem had more to add as well.

"I was also forced to tell the flying foxes about the history of the glaucous macaw tribe," said Lapis Lazuli but then she began to break down.

"Lapis," said Pluto, "What did you tell the bats about our tribe?"

The others, especially the other glaucous macaws present, listened intently as the distressed glaucous macaw managed to regain control of her sobbing to speak.

"Everything," said Lapis Lazuli, "I told them about how we had survived out in the wilderness before moving in with the Navyfeather Clan, and I-I-I…" her guilt-ridden eyes then travelled to Ophiuchus and his companion archaeobirds. At this, Andromeda's older brother felt dread come over him.

"Oh, no, I hope you haven't…" he began but Lapis Lazuli, great tears falling from her eyes nodded. "I'm sorry, Ophiuchus," she whispered, "I've told the flying foxes about your clan, your habitat, the bat-birds and that you've come from some legendary place in Guyana as well…"

She then began to break down and sob bitterly. Then when Ophiuchus's brain had absorbed this, he jumped to his feet.

"Andromeda and Eragon are GONNA GO INSANE WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT THIS!" he bellowed, a look of immense thunder on his face, frightening Lapis Lazuli greatly. Then before anyone could stop him, the distressed archaeobird turned tail and dashed off, his bat-bird following. Carla went to comfort him but Spock and Anakin jumped into her way, shaking their heads. Lapis Lazuli then began to break down all the more, tears falling from her eyes in great amounts. Then Nuvem began to tremble.

"I-I-I also told them about why our habitats had not seen logging activity for so long including how it came to be that way," he murmured. This sent immense horror, this time in a bigger wave, sweeping through the crowd.

"Nuvem," said Zephyr in a low voice, "What did you tell them?"

However, everyone knew what Nuvem was going to say before he even said it, especially as he began to shake and tremble. Augustus and Melissa looked on in horror.

"I-I-I told the flying foxes that after our fight against the loggers that some humans who care for the environment had set up the Spix tribe's home, along with the red tribe's home, as a protected reserve," cried Nuvem, much to the immense horror of the crowd, "And also how the green and Lear's macaw tribes' homes had been added shortly after a fight against some sneaky poachers, and how the glaucous macaw tribe had been included in the protected reserve as well. Oh, I-I-I'm so sorry…"

He then broke down. The young hyacinth macaw, Waldo, Ted, Esmeralda, Alfonso, Ruby and Orquidea did not say anything but only broke down more as well. It took a few seconds for the crowd to register this information but as soon as it had been absorbed, Felipe began to tremble with rage as he gazed at Nuvem. Any sympathy he had had soon became overshadowed by rage.

"Don't you realise what you have JUST DONE!?" he bellowed, startling Nuvem into jumping a foot into the air and scrabbling away from the enraged red macaw, "HONESTLY, you have seriously JEAPOARDISED ALL OF US AND OUR HOMES, ESPECIALLY THAT OF YOUR OWN TRIBE!"

"YES!" put in Pearl furiously, "AND because of YOU, THOSE FLYING FURBALLS are gonna be more EAGER THAN EVER TO DRIVE US OUT AND TAKE OUR LAND!"

Nuvem whimpered and scrabbled away all the more from the enraged scarlet macaws, tears falling from his eyes as heavy as heavy rain on a stormy day while Lapis Lazuli shivered. Then Zephyr and Brisa jumped to Nuvem's defence.

"Don't you DARE blame our cousin, you two!" bellowed Zephyr angrily. Felipe shot him an infuriated glare.

"I'm sorry but it's TRUE!" he retorted, "You Spix, the glaucous and the Lear's macaws are in grave danger of losing their homes to those rotten winged furballs with the possibility of facing logging and poaching all over again…" his gaze flashed at the other macaws, "Not to mention the rest of us!"

The crowd, especially Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and Tyler and Ricardo then began to tremble violently. This statement was indeed true. If the flying foxes drive out the bird flocks and claim the entire Sanctuary de Amazon, they would not only lose their homes but also their protection from poaching and logging as well. Furthermore, the flying foxes would stop at nothing to grab the protected land. As this realisation his especially Augustus and his family, their hearts sank like stones in the Amazon River. Then Alonso stepped in before things could spiral out of control.

"Well, I think these nine ought to be taken the animal hospital to be treated," he said firmly, "I would like to thank you nine for telling us everything that you have told us but I think it's time for you lot to be moved to safety for the sake of your health."

None of the prisoners said anything but continued to sob their eyes out as some macaws wrapped their talons around their almost-featherless and battered bodies and lifted them off the ground. Then Alonso dismissed the crowd and the sea began to disperse, all the birds who didn't belong to the green macaw tribe preparing to make their way back to their homes. As the crowd dispersed, Eustace flew over to the deeply troubled Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and Zephyr, Brisa and their families, and also Tyler and Ricardo as they flew with Aurora, Garrett and Músculo. Dreaded looks were plastered on their faces.

"Blu and Jewel are gonna go berserk when they hear about this," murmured Músculo. Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Serena, Clemont, Orion, Diantha and Velocity could not find the right selection of words to reply to this but inside they agreed that he was right. The Spix macaw tribe's reaction was not going to be a good one, that's for sure. As Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto and Venus led the group away; Orion looked on, an anxious look on his face.

"The situation's definitely gone from bad to worse, I can tell you," he murmured.

"I couldn't agree more, my falcon friend," said Eustace. Just then, the group heard their names get called. At this, Eustace turned to the speaker.

"Looks like someone wants us," he said and with that, he took off towards the speaker, the other seven following. Diantha, who was the last to leave, then gazed down at Augustus, Melissa, Brnaco, Stella and Luna as they stood alone on the boulder. Breathing a sigh, the toco/keel-billed hybrid toucan followed her friends.

Augustus and his family stood by themselves, their sorrowful eyes gazed upon the dispersing crowd of colourful feathers when Alonso walked in.

"I'm sorry it's come to this," murmured Augustus sadly while not looking at him. "If only we'd have escaped being confined to our tree sooner…"

"Look, Augustus," said Alonso firmly, "It's not your fault. You've been a big help in getting as many of those prisoners out of that graveyard of a place and I can't thank you enough…"

"It's not that, sir," said Augustus, his gaze, along with those of Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna, turning to him, "It's the delay that's led to this even bigger mess…"

"It was Cicatriz who had us confined to our tree and despite all our efforts," added Melissa, "Our confiners wouldn't allow us out of our hollow."

Alonso then opened his beak but then closed it, having changed his mind.

"Well, what's next for all of us?" asked Augustus, "Now that we're no longer able to return to our colony without getting caught and put to death and your homes in grave danger…"

"I would like your help in the coming days, Augustus," said Alonso suddenly and expectantly, cutting Augustus's sentence off. At this Augustus shot the green tribe patriarch a surprised look.

"Help?" he asked.

"I'll explain tomorrow," said Alonso firmly, "But in the meantime, you get some sleep while I see the non-green macaw birds off and I'll see you five in the morning."

And with that, he opened his wings and took off before Augustus could ask. At this, he said to Melissa and his son and daughters, "Let's find somewhere to spend the rest of the night, my family."

Melissa, at this, stifled a yawn. "I'm glad you've said that," she murmured tiredly, "It's been a long and hectic night."

"But what about the birds?" asked Sebastian. Stella and Luna also looked on, their facial expressions asking the same question.

"We'll have to see to that tomorrow," said Augustus firmly and with a gentle shove with his wings, he ushered his three offspring into the air. Within moments, the five flying foxes began to search for a tree to spend the rest of the night. They knew they had a big and important request to grant tomorrow as based on Alonso's statement on needing their help.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32- discussions of plans**

 **Later, in the Spix tribe's ravine**

Blu and Jewel spoke to Eduardo and Mimi in the meeting tree. They were voicing their concerns about the worsening flying fox situation and had turned to Jewel's father and aunt and former tribe leaders for advice. It clearly was a difficult one and Eduardo and Mimi had been struggling to think of a possible answer to the question. The last difficult problem had been the debt crisis that threatened to remove the Sanctuary de Amazon's protected status to due problems but this one was proving an even bigger challenge to think of a solution. However, Mimi had advised the two Spix tribe leaders to wait and see and besides that, they were still awaiting the return of the Spix macaws Blu and Jewel had sent to Alonso's tribe's territory a few days ago, hopefully the rescue mission complete.

Alonso's tribe's home grove had been the ideal spot for meeting up for the rescue mission for the green tribe's territory was nearest to the flying foxes' territory, along with the Lear's tribe's land and the former land of the blue-throated macaw clan and the nearly-decimated hyacinth Bluewing Clan. Furthermore, Blu and Jewel wanted to focus on coming up with possible solutions to the problem which was why they had left the rescue group setup to Alonso and Verde besides their tribe's land's proximity to the flying foxes' land. While the pair was chatting to Eduardo and Mimi, a knock on the hollow's entrance stirred them out of it.

"Who is it?" asked Blu rather snappily. It was clear that he and Jewel were moody. The stress of the situation with the flying foxes and from the tiredness of the past four days was affecting their sleep pattern. Eduardo and Mimi were also facing the same problems. Then a blue macaw, a patroller named Maximillian who was Turquesa's father, came in.

"Roberto's group has returned, Blu and Jewel," he said, "The mission has been successful."

At this, brief smiles flashed on Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi's beaks but they soon vanished as Maximillian's face turned serious. "However, they have something we should know but you're not gonna like it."

 **Later**

A sea of cerulean and blue birds stood gathered outside the meeting tree, the moonlight bathing them in a silvery fluid. Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa had opted to tell Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi the harrowing news and so were inside the tree doing just that. At the babysitter's hollow, some chicks, among them Chilro, Ophelia, Azurite, Aquamarine, Linda and Luke, the youngest chicks of Blu, Zephyr, Roberto and their respective mates Jewel, Venus and Brisa, peered out of their hollow bedroom windows, curious eyes focussed on the crowd, while not too far away from the meeting tree, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira stood with all their friends. Carla stood with Justin, Charlotte with Músculo, Matilda with Tiago, Virgil with Bia,Jojo with Kira, Lavender with Garrett, Felix with Turquesa, and Tyler with Aurora and his brother Ricardo. The couples were locked in their embraces, shocked and sorrowful looks on their faces as their hearts were weighed down with worry over the past events. Next to Carla's group, the other Spix macaws who had participated in the rescue also stood, sombre faces fixated on the meeting tree. Tearful eyes were clearly visible on the faces of these macaws too as the discussion occurred within the meeting tree. Then after a few minutes, Blu emerged from the meeting hollow with Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi, Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto and Venus close behind him. A look of thunder, disbelief and distress was clear on the new patriarch's face and that expression was mirrored on those of his mate, his father-in-law and aunt-in-law, though Mimi was very upset and was weeping.

"It's just as we expected," murmured Blu in a shaky voice, "Those furballs now know of our ravine and our tribe because of Nuvem."

"Not to mention our land being protected reserves," added Jewel. At this, horrified gasps rolled through the cerulean sea of blue macaws. In dozens of hollows across the ravine, parents looked on with despair. Their home was now in definite danger of being taken over by the flying foxes. Maximillian gazed at Blu and Jewel.

"Then that means we're gonna have to resort to extreme measures," he murmured sombrely. Blu shot him a 'what!?' look.

"Blu," said Maximillian in an urgent voice, trying to get his point across, "We have tried _every_ peaceful option and it hasn't worked. It is time for serious action."

"That's absolutely right," growled Jewel, her temper threatening to flare, "Our homes are now at stake, Blu."

Blu continued to struggle to find words but his tongue was stuck in his beak.

"Dad," said Carla, "This ravine is our home and we _have_ to defend it."

"Yes," said Roberto, "We've lived here for quite a few generations."

"Ever since our ancestors have found it, actually, similar to how the Lear's macaw tribe's ancestors had found their ravine and settled into it," added Brisa.

"And because of that, we don't want those flying foxes forcing us out of this habitat," added Zephyr.

"Not to mention the fact that our ravine and land, and the lands of our neighbours, have been set up as a protected nature reserve from poaching and logging, including the archaeobird clan's home," added Venus, "We all MUST take action to protect it."

"That's right," said Eduardo to his son-in-law gruffly, "Seriously Blu, you need to put that smart brain of yours into action and start thinking of what we could do."

Blu shot him and Mimi a look and then gazed at the crowd. Then Roberto stepped forward with the answer to this question.

"Alonso has already done that, Eduardo," he said, "He has told us to deliver you this message: he would like us to have a tribe and clan leader discussion, here in our meeting tree, tomorrow morning."

"Also, Augustus and Melissa are going to take part," said Venus, "Since they will have all the knowledge about their colony and the tactics they use in driving out bird tribes and clans."

At this, Jewel gazed at Roberto and Venus with surprise but then a glimmer of hope twinkled in her eyes. "That's brilliant," she said, "We'll have to make sure that our meeting tree is prepared for that meeting. Thanks for telling me that, you two."

Then turning to the crowd, she delivered the announcement. As she spoke to the crowd, Blu sat down, a devastated look on his face.

"I cannot believe this is happening," he muttered, his face buried in his wings as Carla and company came round him, "The flying foxes will be more eager than ever to drive out the next tribe or clan. But the question is, who?"

As he said this, Brisa felt a thought pop within her mind.

"Erm… while we were creeping through the flying foxes' territory to the interrogation area during the rescue mission," said she, "We overheard some flying foxes talk about the ravine… of the…" however, she trailed off as realisation came crashing on her, but it wasn't the ravine of the Spix macaws she was thinking of that was under threat. It was the other ravine. At this, her beak dropped open as horror swept through her as realisation dawned upon her.

"Brisa," said Venus, "What are you talking about?"

Brisa shot her sister-in-law a mortified look. Then Zephyr saw where his sister was getting to: Sapphire's tribe.

"We'd better mention that to Alonso and the other leaders when they come to our meeting tomorrow morning," he said urgently. When Carla and company heard this, they all flinched in horror.

"Oh, the Lear's tribe's prized heirloom, their ravine, is under serious threat," gasped Carla.

"So is the Lear's macaw tribe itself," said Bia, "knowing them to be extremely protective of their heritage habitat."

This was definitely a serious matter. Any bird tribe or clan that stood to defend their home rather than flee was at serious risk of getting horribly slaughtered by the invading bats, and the flying foxes were ruthlessly keen on grabbing the land from the bird tribe or clan and will not hesitate to use savage force to blast through the stubbornness of that bird tribe or clan defending their home, and the Lear's macaw tribe was especially rigid about their precious ravine, which would mean they would face potential slaughter that would potentially decimate the entire tribe.

"I hope those flying foxes aren't planning on driving those poor birds out too soon," murmured Tiago worriedly. Then Kira had thoughts for Sapphire, Mercury, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and the others in the Lear's tribe and shuddered. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Turquesa, Garrett and Músculo also felt worries for their Lear's friends course through them. To add to their vulnerability of their rock-hard stubbornness about their ravine, the Lear's macaws had no other tribe or clan of birds larger than them living with them like the blue-throated macaw clan had with the Bluewing Clan of hyacinth macaws. As a result, the Lear's macaw tribe might not have time to make an emergency escape if an invasion from the flying foxes were to come suddenly. While these thoughts bubbled within the minds of Carla and company, Zephyr and Blu began to order the group to bed while Jewel began to dismiss the crowd of Spix macaws after her speech.

"Look, we're gonna have a meeting with the other tribe and clan leaders here in the meeting tree tomorrow morning, you lot," said Zephyr firmly, "I know how you feel about the Lear's macaw tribe but it is too late to discuss this any further tonight. We should be asleep by now."

"Yes," said Blu, "So off to bed, all of you and we'll see you guys in the morning."

"And besides, we've got a lot of things that need doing tomorrow so we might need your help," said Venus. Roberto and Brisa wore the same commanding looks on their faces as Carla and company, at first hesitant, then nodded and left for their nests. As the group dispersed, Jewel came in.

"Boy, that sure was a challenge in trying to calm the tribe down," she told her mate and the other four, "Mind you this flying fox situation is causing a lot of worry and stress for everyone."

"Well, you're doing great, Jewel, like your father said," said Brisa with a smile. Jewel breathed a saddened sigh.

"Yeah, and I'm especially concerned for the Lear's macaw tribe," said Roberto. "I kind of agree with Carla and the others."

"Well, we'll see to that tomorrow but in the meantime, let's get some sleep. We've got a lot of discussing to do tomorrow and I want us to be ready for it," said Blu. Jewel, Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus all nodded in agreement and with that, the six all dispersed to their nests.

 **Meanwhile**

Cicatriz and Iracebeth sat on a branch outside the infirmary tree where injured or sick flying foxes were taken to be treated. Several dozen bats had been carried here after the skirmish with the rescue group, and some had suffered damaged wing membranes, and the two leaders themselves were also having their scratches, inflicted on them by Augustus as he left, tended to, two colony nurses cleaning their wounds with damp moss. Nearby, Shinzon, Ratigan and the other bats that had attempted to catch the rescue group also stood with ashamed looks on their faces. They had been yelled at by Cicatriz and Iracebeth for allowing the rescue group to escape and they were still suffering the aftereffects of the powder tossed into their faces by the archaeobirds. Their eyes were bloodshot and red from the irritation of the powder and their noses were runny, and coughs and sneezes still escaped their throats. As the colony nurses continued treating the injured bats, Cicatriz, a look of thunder on his face, growled, "That brother of mine and his mate really HAS crossed the line this time, and has gone beyond the point of no return. Not only have they betrayed us defecting to our enemy's side but they have also had the AUDACITY to bring in some of those feathered worms into our territory when it is forbidden to them. They're gonna seriously _pay_ for their insolence and other crimes against their colony, like how that lousy Lily did when we caught her."

"Tell me about it," muttered Iracebeth, wincing from the stings from her scratches as a nurse bat dabbed a blob of wet moss onto it. Then she moved on. "So, what's next, Cicatriz? Are we gonna carry out the next stage of our plans now that we have all the information we need of those bird flocks' territories and why their land has not seen logging activity for so long?"

"Our next target's gonna be the Lear's macaws," replied Cicatriz, flinching slightly as another nurse bat dabbed his scratched face with a piece of wet moss, "We're gonna attack that tribe within their ravine full force and slaughtering as many of those birds as possible while the rest will be driven out of the territory. Those navy blue feathered worms may call their ravine their heirloom but it is OURS for the taking. They don't deserve a ravine like that."

Iracebeth smiled evilly. "There is also a licuri palm grove in that ravine as well," she crooned, "I would love to try some of those nuts."

Cicatriz smiled despite the stings still emanating from his scratched face. At this moment, one of the lead colony nurses emerged from the infirmary tree, a sombre look on his face.

"How's Voldemort doing?" asked Cicatriz, his left eye, the only one functioning, focussed on the flying fox who shook his head.

"I'm afraid his right cheek has received a horrible scratch wound," he said, "It seems that the four-winged bird pest that had delivered the blow had a well-aimed strike. And I'm sorry to say this but I believe that Voldemort is going to have a very nasty and permanent scar on his cheek."

Cicatriz and Iracebeth looked on in disappointment. "Will he be fit enough for the invasion of the next patch of land?" asked Cicatriz.

"I'm afraid not," said the lead nurse bat, "He's gonna have to remain here for a while until his injuries heal."

Cicatriz breathed another sigh of disappointment. Voldemort was one of his most trusted and well-trained bats in the colony and also one of the most ruthless, capable of slaughtering multiple birds but now, with a badly slashed cheek and current injuries from the most recent skirmish with the rescue group, he was unfit for the next step. Moving on, Cicatriz thanked the lead nurse and commanded him to return to his duties before standing up and gazing in the direction of the birds' territory.

"We're not gonna put our plans in driving out the Lear's macaw tribe into action just yet," said he, "We've got a lot of training and preparations to make first for that tribe is quite large and they might be as difficult as a clan of hyacinth macaws to tackle…"

Iracebeth smiled as she looked forward to having another patch of land added to the flying foxes' growing territory, not to mention the grabbing of the land that was protected from logging and poaching, and since two of the prisoners had been forced to give this information, the flying fox colony's eagerness in grabbing that land has exploded violently. 'After all,' thought Iracebeth wickedly, 'those worthless feathered disasters don't deserve to be protected from logging and poaching. They're the cause of those problems that affect our colony. I hope that any of those birds that survive our siege will be left to face those disasters that they have caused us!'

Iracebeth then emitted a wicked titter as she relished the plans based on this outright lies. However, she knew that the prize was to wait first due to training that needed doing…

 **Morning**

The Spix tribe's ravine was alive with the sounds of Spix macaws getting up and preparing for the day ahead. However, many of them had not had a very decent night's sleep last night due to the activities involving the rescue and the four-day delay on Augustus and his family's part due to Cicatriz's interruption, but the higher ranking birds were still ready for the most important activity of the morning, the meeting and tactical discussion with the other tribe and clan leaders and inner circle birds, along with Augustus and Melissa, and Blu, Jewel and some of the inner circle Spix birds, and Eduardo and Mimi were setting up the meeting hollow in preps for that. While they did this, the other Spix macaws continued their daily activities; foraging groups went out, chicks were preparing for classes and parents and other adult macaws cleaned out and tidied their hollows.

Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with their friends and cousin Kira, were lounging around or talking. Bia had her beak in her science books, Tiago in his book of jokes and pranks, Carla was listening to some music and Kira was just lying on her back, her wings tucked under her head and her eyes closed as she relished the warmth of the sun. Nearby, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil chatted to their cousins Jojo, Felix and Lavender while Ricardo and Tyler were helping their mother Cassia to gather some herbal plants for their mini-infirmary, very sombre looks on their faces. Cassia had been devastated by the news of Nuvem and the information he was forced to give the flying foxes during his torture with the other eight prisoners but she kept herself occupied by gathering medical plants with her two sons. Aurora, Garrett and Músculo were sorting through some fruit for breakfast. While he chatted with his four cousins and brother and sister, Felix observed the inner circle birds, among them his parents Brisa and Roberto, as they helped Blu and Jewel to prepare the meeting tree when he saw a flash of odd colour enter the ravine's entrance.At this, his ocean blue eyes darted to the forms and when he saw who they were, surprise lit up within him.

"Hey, guys, look," he said to the other six and pointed to the shapes, "Aren't those macaws from Alonso's tribe?"

Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo and Lavender gathered round him and saw a quartet of green birds with aqua blue wings and yellow wing undersides, red foreheads, and aqua blue and red tails as they made a beeline for Blu and Jewel and called to them. Lavender saw that one of them was carrying a leaf in its talons.

"I believe they are Alonso's messengers," she said, "Alonso did say that he was going to send some messengers to our tribe leaders to let him know of the meeting this morning and that they will be there any minute."

"So all the tribe and clan leaders and also the leaders of the smaller groups are going to come as well?" asked Jojo.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised," said Justin, "This is a serious matter after all. The entire Sanctuary de Amazon is under threat from those bats."

"Especially now that they know very well about our territories, our flocks and also of our homes' status as protected reserves," said Charlotte.

"Not to mention the archaeobirds," added Matilda, "You should have seen how outraged Ophiuchus and the other archaeobirds that attended the events of last night and I wouldn't be surprised at Andromeda and Eragon's reaction as well."

"We are all in serious danger because of them but what else could they have done?" asked Virgil, "Would they have rather died a painful death at the wings of those brutish furballs than to give them all the important information about the Sanctuary de Amazon?"

"It's not a matter of the threat of death that was important," said Jojo firmly, "It's the agony their interrogators inflicted on them. They would rather suffer it a short time than a long time and not say anything," he put his wings behind his head and sighed, "after all, those bats would have been very impatient to find out about our homes and thus would have been absolutely demanding on their prisoners."

"In other words, those prisoners had been forced to give the bats the important information," said Felix. A sad sigh then left his beak. "I just hope those nine are alright in the hospital," he murmured sympathetically, "At least they'll be safe from any marauding flying foxes while we deal with this situation."

His gaze then rested on Tyler and Ricardo as they continued to help their mother Cassia bring in some more herbal plants, a tear coming to his eye as he saw their sad facial expressions. They clearly missed Nuvem and were suffering the void he had left in their family.

"Yeah, especially Aunt Lapis Lazuli as well," added Justin, "What she's been through is likely to scar her for life."

The other seven nodded in agreement before moving on to talk about something else while they waited for the arrival of the other tribe, clan ands group leaders, inner circle birds and also Augustus and his family to turn up.

 **Meanwhile**

In the animal hospital's bird department, several near-featherless birds lay in some cages. One of them was a Spix macaw, another was a glaucous macaw, two were scarlet macaws, two were great green macaws, one was a blue-and-gold and one was a Lear's macaw. Nuvem, Lapis Lazuli, Alfonso, Ruby, Ted, Esmeralda, Orquidea and Waldo lay in their cages, each in a soft bed of tissue and plastic tubes entering their wings and connecting them to some bags filled with clear fluids suspended from the ceiling. Each of them also had empty food bowls lying beside them and their water tubes were almost empty. An empty bowl and an empty water tube was present in each of the eight cages but when the eight macaws had been placed into the cages after receiving treatment for their various injuries by the bird doctors, they had all been full of food and water. After the bird doctors had left the eight birds alone after hooking them up to the drips and checking on them before moving on to see to other tasks, the eight birds had wolfed down and almost completely diminished their bowls and water tubes entirely. This was no surprise for they had been absolutely starving, having not eaten a sliver of food or had one proper drop of water since their kidnap by the wicked flying foxes who had never bothered to feed them any food or give them anything to drink. When they did, the flying foxes only did it for taunting purposes. And though the eight birds had completely troughed through the entire bowls, their stomachs still screamed for food.

Another thing the eight macaws had missed over four whole days and nights was sleep. Their flying fox captors had kept them awake all night as part of their sadistic torture and interrogation of them. As a result, the eight macaws had also been extremely tired and after they had wolfed down their food and water, they had fallen into a deep sleep on the spot despite their still-growling stomachs. Now, all eight of them were sound asleep but as they entered the land of slumber, nightmares of their four-day ordeal in the flying foxes' interrogation area had begun to storm their minds. The eight macaws were muttering continuously in their sleep, begging for mercy to their interrogators as they continued beating them, tormenting them, submerging them in the stream and taunting them with food. Out of the group, Lapis Lazuli was especially facing immense torment. She trembled violently and kept on desperately and futilely begging the bats in her mind for mercy only to receive a frightening scare or attack, leading to her screaming and jerking in her sleep. The other seven also continued to writhe and squirm as they were tormented by the same nightmares but their writhing, squawking and squirming were not as severe as Lapis Lazuli's.

Just then, the eight cages containing the nightmare-locked macaws were approached by three forms. One of them was a female blue-throated macaw, another was a young male green-winged macaw and the third was a female archaeobird. Ceres, Athos and Glimmergem had come to see the eight new arrivals to check on them. These three had calmed down after the shock of their own ordeals at the clutches of the flying foxes and when they had arrived in the hospital, they had been badly shaken. Now, that shock had reduced though they were still left with the aftershocks of the attacks which were more obvious in Ceres because of the trauma she had suffered on the night of the invasion and she still had nightmares about pitch-black bats with red streaks, eyes glowing menacingly in the moonlight and wielding weapons such as sharp-sticks, and countless hyacinth macaws falling from the sky during the massacre that took place five nights ago. The trio's injuries were on their way to healing as well, including their broken limbs which were still in a cast. Ceres and Glimmergem's wings and Athos's right talon will remain in their casts until the bones in them had completely fixed themselves and until the bird doctors were sure that their injured limbs were strong enough for their casts to be removed. The minor cuts and bruises had also pretty much disappeared but the larger scratches borne by Athos, such as one on his right wing and another on his torso, were still visible. Ceres's more serious injuries on her brow and the left side of her body, which had been stitched up, were still visible as reddish lines spanning most of her brow and from the base of her neck down to the top of her left leg where blood had welled, and Ceres was not sure how these injuries were going to turn out once they had fully healed, but it was likely that they were going to scar by the time she was fit enough to return to the wild. The three gazed at the sleeping forms of the eight near-featherless macaws, flinching at each of their witters that kept emanating from their beaks.

Last night, the trio had been disturbed as nine new casualties had been dropped off, before being treated and placed into these cages and then noisily gorging themselves on the food in their bowls and drinking from their tubes. However, one of them, the young hyacinth macaw, had died in the process. The trauma of the four-day ordeal in the flying foxes' territory had taken its toll on his body. Then when Ceres, Glimmergem and Athos saw the state of the remaining eight macaws for the first time, they had been absolutely horrified and still were even now. Ceres then began to whisper to Glimmergem and Athos.

"I believe those rotten bats have done this to them," she said in a low voice.

"Kidnap?" replied Athos. Glimmergem, at this, shook her head in disagreement.

"I don't think so," she said, "You were violently thrown against a rock and then into a thorny patch while I suffered a broken wing while my bat-bird was fatally stabbed, along with Sergio, and both of those occurred when we tried stopping those kidnappers." She then nodded to Ceres, "Her injuries are the result of the siege on her clan and the Bluewings but the state of those eight," her face turned dark, "I believe they have suffered an even greater and more horrific ordeal actually _in_ the flying foxes' territory."

At this, dread tore through Ceres and Athos as they deduced what Glimmergem was insinuating to them to. Then without another word, the three backed away to allow the eight remaining survivors to continue to sleep and returned to their cages. They will actually talk to them once they were well enough to be wide awake.

 **Meanwhile**

Blu and Jewel, together with the inner circle Spix macaws, had finished preparing the tree when Maximillian touched down before them.

"The other leaders and their inner circle birds are here with Augustus and his family," he shouted.

"Right, lead them in," commanded Blu. Maximillian nodded and took off to meet the leaders and guide them to the meeting tree while Blu, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Brisa and Roberto and some of the other inner circle birds checked the meeting tree one final time. Then as soon as this was done, the Spix macaws turned to meeting the other tribe and clan leaders as they entered the ravine in a colourful cloud. Dozens and dozens of cerulean and blue heads peered out of the trees as they gazed at the colourful flock of birds, among them a splash of drabber auburn, brown, white and black formed by Augustus and his family as they flew near the front of the group, as they drifted through the ravine. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Tyler and Ricardo and also Aurora, Turquesa, Garrett and Músculo then spotted their non-Spix friends accompanying their parents as they headed for the meeting tree and Blu and company as they stood outside it. Then those familiar forms broke away from the group and headed over to Carla and company.

At the front of the group were Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan from the Lear's macaws while red macaws Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon, Byron, Estelle and Benjamin with his sister Regina flew close behind them. After the red macaws flew Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, Iapetus, Brooke, Porthos and Bastian from the blue-and-gold macaws, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Ash from the green macaws, Triton, Indigo, Penelope, Victor and Trixie from the hyacinth macaws, Aurelio, Azul, Wilbur and Fernanda from the blue-throated macaws, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden from the glaucous macaws and last of all, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Orion, Velocity, Diantha, Celmont and Serena accompanied by chestnut-fronted macaws Alessandro and Rhiannon, blue-headed macaws Mariposa and Kiawe, and golden conures Caspian and Citrine. As the group touched down before their Spix friends, Carla went up to them to greet them while behind, the other birds touched down before Blu and the other higher ranking Spix macaws and greeted them, Carla, Jojo, Justin and their siblings rushed at Eustace and his group and threw their wings around them for they were relieved to see them alive and well. As the Spix macaws locked their cockatoo, falcon and toucan friends in a group embrace, Stella, Luna and Sebastian touched down having been sent by Augustus to stick by them while he and Melissa their mother were in the meeting. After they broke the hug, Bia saw that the large bruise on the right side of Rosa's head had faded.

"How's your head, Rosa," she asked. Rosa's wing went to the area where the flying fox had walloped her with its stick during the skirmish leading to Waldo, Esmeralda, Ted and several other macaws' kidnap.

"It's getting better," she said gratefully, "The nurses of Alonso's tribe said that it should fade within a few more days."

"It's a wonder you didn't suffer a more serious injury," said Mariposa as she examined the fading black-blur bloom on the side of Rosa's head, visible just under the pale pink feathers.

"One of the flying foxes powerfully struck her on the head with a stick," explained Oberon, "It was hard enough to render her unconscious."

The Spix macaws all flinched in shock.

"It must have been alarming…" murmured Carla.

"It was," said Ash who stood with Titania, "I actually thought that bat had killed her."

He then shot Rosa a gaze but Rosa shrugged.

"She's one tough hybrid cockatoo, I can tell you," said Charon proudly, before his proud gaze turned to Clemont as he examined the healing scratches on his belly. "Not to mention her citron-crested girlfriend. To hear him take on Voldemort was amazing."

"Yeah, but he could have been killed," said Io in disapproval. Clemont, at this, shot her an assertive look.

"That brute was strangling Saturn to death," he retorted, "Honestly, had I not taken action, he could have killed him."

"Well at least you didn't get too badly hurt," said Eustace, a pat on Clemont's back.

"And at least that injury hasn't become infected," added Milo. Clemont just sighed before turning to the couples that had sometimes argued during the massive delay of Augustus the other night. "And I can see that you guys have made up after arguing that other night," he said.

"We have, yes," said Tethys as she stood with Oberon, "It was just the atmosphere that caused immense tension between us."

"At least we've made up now," said Oberon, a brief smile at his blue-and-gold girlfriend but then his face fell as thoughts about the dire situation crept in. the faces of the other non-Spix macaws also fell just as Spyro, the older son of Eragon and Andromeda, came in on his bat-bird to spend some time with his macaw friends.

"I know what you're referring to," said he as he dismounted his bat-bird and patted him on the head, "The harrowing news and our leaders' reactions to it."

The group of macaws and some other birds gazed at him as Spyro approached them, a frown on his face. "You should have seen that of my, Bellerophon and Pandora's parents when Uncle Ophiuchus told them last night. They were absolutely _outraged_."

Spyro's gaze then flashed at the group of leaders and inner circle birds as they talked with Blu and Jewel. Among the group were Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto for they had come to help as well. Then Spyro picked out Andromeda and Eragon as they stood with Ophiuchus, Anakin, Honeydew, Spock and some other archaeobirds and bat-birds and saw that their faces were still twisted into looks of thunder.

"They had been so furious in fact," said he, "That we had to keep our distance from them. Spock and Anakin had to look after me and my younger brother and sister until they calmed down."

"Soleado and Zoie had had the same reaction as well," said Titan as he stood with Brooke, "Dad was the one who told them everything."

"Rudi, our first cousin, once removed had also been utterly devastated," said Charon as he stood with Neytiri, Aiden and his three siblings Blueberry, Quincy and Flor.

"In fact," said Aiden, "Rudi had been crying his heart out through the night."

"As had Reynaldo, Anita, and Flavio as well," added Triton. Aurelio, Azul and Wilbur all sighed.

"Things have definitely taken a turn for the worst, I can tell you," said Phoebe sorrowfully. "If something isn't done anytime soon, our homes are gonna be added to those greedy flying foxes' list of territories."

"That's why our leaders have come all the way here to discuss it," said Io firmly, Sheldon by her side.

"And our Mom and Dad are gonna help you birds come up with an effective strategy to deal with this problem," said Sebastian as he walked in with his sisters Stella and Luna. The birds gazed back at the trio of young albino flying foxes, knowing that they were referring to Augustus and Melissa's knowledge of the colony and their tactics. Then Sebastian said as he gazed at Spyro, "And I'm sorry about what happened last night. Did your parents lose their tempers when they heard what had happened?"

"Lose their tempers?" snapped Spyro incredulously, "They almost EXPLODED. I and my two younger siblings had to keep well away from them until they had calmed down…"

"I hope your parents aren't angry with our mother for telling those furballs about your clan, Spyro," murmured Blueberry timidly.

"Well, they're keeping their distance from your father, Blueberry," said Spyro, "as they don't want to yell at him for what his mate had done," he crossed his wings and wing claws, "But all in all, it isn't anyone's fault anyway. It's just unfortunate that those rotten bats had picked your mother as a target for their information source through their sickly methods of interrogation."

"I couldn't agree more," said Sebastian disgustedly, "Our colony has always used brutal torture on birds for information. Countless have died from the abuse they had received from their interrogators."

"I'm so glad that I hadn't been taken to that place," murmured Tiago as he remembered almost getting kidnapped along with Spock, Dione and Lavender. The latter two nodded in agreement. Then Dione and Porthos turned to Rhea and Garrett, two of the unfortunate macaws who had been injured.

"And these two had been so brave in participating in the rescue of us four," said Dione. Rhea just sighed as she remembered suffering the excruciating pain of the dislocation of her wing while Garrett gazed at his still-tattered tail. New feathers had begun to grow in to replace the ones that had been torn out but it would be a few weeks until his tail grew back fully.

"Too bad it came at a price though," commented Porthos.

"Well at least I have suffered a torn tail and not a broken wing or even worse, a fatal stab wound," said Garrett. Then his gaze turned to Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Serena, Clemont, Orion, Velocity and Diantha and he smiled.

"And you eight have been incredibly brave as well," he added, "If it weren't for you overhearing the change in those sly winged foxes' plans, we would have been at a serious disadvantage."

"We would have been the ones to feed this information to you birds actually but unfortunately, we needed to spend some time in our colony in order to keep our allegiance to you birds at a low profile for as long as possible," said Sebastian.

"Had we left to tell you birds too soon," said Stella, "Our allegiance would have been blown earlier."

"We're sorry to have not to tell you about Ratigan's discovery of that dormindo, or 'sleeping' plant sooner," said Luna, "But at least those eight have done that for us. I have to say that you've got some pretty astute birds there."

"Oh, we just happened to overhear those bats talk about it," said Orion, "and we knew that it was urgent to warn the tribes and clans about it."

"That reinforced the reason why we didn't want to return to Rio," added Eustace. At this, Carla shot a glare at the large healing bruise on the right side of Rosa's head, then at the scratch on Clemont's belly, the state of Orion and his still-healing scratches and then at the fading bruising enclosing Rosa's eye and frowned.

"But I still think you eight are putting yourselves in serious danger," she said in disapproval.

"That's right," said Ganymede, his glare especially on Clemont, "Especially with you challenging a bat that is twice your size and well-muscled. He could have seriously wounded or even killed you."

Clemont just said nothing and gazed at the scratch on his stomach.

Soon the meeting of the tribe and clan leaders and inner circle birds was underway. The group stood inside and out of the tree hollow with Blu, Jewel, Alonso, Felipe and Augustus and Melissa sat in the middle, talking about how they were going to tackle the next big problem. However, one decision has already been made.

"We've just about declared war on those flying foxes," said Alonso firmly.

"Yes," said Sapphire in agreement, "Those bats have gone beyond the point of no return. Not only have they trespassed in our land, failed to keep the truce and have caused so many deaths including Valentino," she paused briefly as she felt a wave of sadness come over her before continuing, "They have kidnapped and tortured some of us for information and are now threatening everyone in the Sanctuary de Amazon."

"Now that the colony knows just about every bit of key information regarding your tribes, clans, smaller groups, your habitats and how and why your home has not seen logging activity for such a while," added Augustus, before his eyes turned dark, "they will stop at nothing in planning and driving out their next tribe or clan…"

"Starting with the Lear's macaws," said Alonso, a nod to Monique, Sapphire, Mercury and the other Lear's inner circle birds. The other non-Spix birds also nodded in agreement. Sapphire had already told them on the way to the Spix tribe's ravine about the danger her tribe was now in.

"Then that means an emergency evacuation of your tribe, Sapphire," said Felipe. At this Sapphire, Mercury and Monique's eyes flashed with a 'what!?' expression. Augustus backed Felipe's point up.

"That's right Lear's macaws," he said, "The flying foxes won't take no for an answer when they invade a tribe or clan's territory and if you refuse to budge, your tribe could end up facing a serious massacre."

"But our ravine's our precious heirloom," snapped Sapphire, "We have lived there since our ancestors moved there from the Lear's macaw colony in Bahia."

"Well, those bats will still slaughter you to get your home and land, Sapphire," said Melissa firmly. Sapphire just uttered a short frustrated growl and shook her head. She then buried her face in her wings. "What are we gonna do?" she asked. All eyes turned to Alonso and Verde and their inner circle birds for suggestions. Then Uranus stood up.

"We'll first evacuate the Lear's macaws into another part of the Sanctuary de Amazon for their safety," he explained but then he trailed off. "But the question is who will be able to take in the tribe for a bit?"

None of the others answered at first. The green and the blue-and-gold macaw tribes' homes were packed full with all the small group birds living with them, the Navyfeathers and the glaucous macaws already had the blue-throated macaw clan and the remaining survivors of the Bluewing Clan on their patch and Andromeda's clan did not have much room for such a large tribe. The only options that remained were the Spix and the red tribes. Then Felipe stood up.

"I'll be the one to accommodate the Lear's macaws for a bit," he said firmly, "There is plenty of room for another tribe in our territory. They could take refuge in there."

At this, Pearl, Jupiter, Mars, Chiquitita and the other red macaws with them shot Felipe a look. They were clearly reluctant to take in a tribe of birds numbering in the two-hundreds or perhaps more. However, the group knew they had no other alternative. Sapphire then reluctantly admitted defeat. After all, her tribe was in imminent danger of being massacred by the savage flying foxes.

"Okay, we'll go along with that," she said. Mercury and Monique and the other Lear's macaws with them nodded in agreement. The others smiled at Sapphire's wise decision.

"We'll see to that when we get back to our homes," said Felipe. Then the group moved on and Blu stood up.

"Right, now that we've got the Lear's macaws' problem sorted," he said, "It is time for our next big question, the flying fox colony's tactics in combat."

"We know that the flying fox colony is several times the size of my tribe," said Soleado as he sat with Zoie, Saturn and several other blue-and-gold macaws, "So that means we're gonna need to team up and fight them."

"Well, if you're gonna declare war on the colony," said Augustus, "There's something else you need to know."

All eyes turned to him and Melissa. "And what's that?" asked Jewel. Augustus gave the birds a dark look.

"Our colony," he said, "Or our former colony now, actually has a very sneaky tactic hidden in their membranous wings when a bird tribe or clan they are targeting to drive out and take their land choose to declare war on the colony."

All ears then cocked to listen to Augustus as he launched into an explanation of the tactic.

"When a bird tribe or clan go to war, you know that the most vulnerable members of that tribe or clan, such as the chicks, parents with unhatched eggs and under flight aged chicks and the elderly always stay behind in the home habitat for safety reasons," said he, "Well, our former colony has found a way around this and that is sending in another group of flying foxes directly into a tribe or clan's habitat and slaughtering those birds while the fighters are busy warring with the flying foxes. Our great-grandfather was the one who came up with that tactic."

At this, immense horror tore through the group.

"WHAT!?" shouted Felipe, Pearl, Jupiter, Mars and Chiquitita at the same time.

"Are you meaning to say that your colony simply use the war against a tribe or clan as a decoy while another group of flying foxes infiltrate their home and kill all the stayers in that home!?" asked Venus incredulously.

"Exactly," said Augustus. "It's been done several times before. One example is a clan of toucans. While those fit enough for the war fought against the colony, another group of flying foxes infiltrated their home and slaughtered the families and other members of the clan, chicks, elderly, eggs and all, and took over the home, leaving the fighters with absolutely nothing after they had finished the war with the bats. They had no choice but to leave when they found out that their home had been taken over behind their backs."

Then before any of the birds could protest, Melissa continued, "That is why we have said that you'd have absolutely NO chance against our sly colony and that you needed a double agent to help you. Now that we're no longer welcome in our colony, we are now more than happy to divulge you the secret tactics they use in driving out bird tribes and clans if they take the war option."

"But we can't just leave behind our families, chicks and unhatched eggs and other vulnerable members of our tribes and clans in our habitats to face such a gruesome demise while we wage war against the flying foxes," muttered Jupiter.

"That is why you need a very cunning and very fool proof plan in protecting those members," said Augustus firmly.

"It could even mean you birds thinking outside the tree hollow," said Melissa. At first none of the birds, not even the smarter ones such as Blu or experienced former leaders like Eduardo and Mimi could think of a way along those branches. It was indeed a very difficult situation. However, an idea entered Andromeda's head and she soon broke the silence.

"We could evacuate all those members of the Sanctuary's tribes, clans and smaller groups to a single secret place," she said, "I know my father Talonclaw back in Jurassic Jungle did that once when our clan and the clan of the two-winged archaeobirds were in grave danger of invasion by some invasive rats intent on decimating us and he wanted to evacuate all the vulnerable members to a safe hiding place while the fittest members dealt with the threat. The elderly, chicks, parents with young chicks and unhatched eggs of both clans hid together in a secret cave while the rest of the clan members fought together to deal with the rats which they did successfully. Maybe we could apply that tactic here as well?"

"That sounds logical, Andromeda," said Blu, "But haven't you forgotten how many elderly, chicks, kids, parents with young chicks and unhatched eggs are in the entire Sanctuary de Amazon?"

"We're gonna need a large cave or somewhere secretive to hide that many members," said Venus, "That is, a cave that is big enough to house that many birds."

"Falkor's infirmary cave is out of the question," said Flavio, "That's only big enough to house a small group of birds, much less a clan of more than a hundred birds or a tribe of two to three hundred individuals."

As he said this, Pluto called to the others outside the hollow. He had been looking at the waterfall cave behind the, massive waterfall of the Spix macaws' ravine.

"Hey, guys," he shouted, attracting the attention of the other birds and Augustus and Melissa, "How about the Spix tribe's waterfall cave?"

He gestured to the waterfall while the others looked on. In a few seconds, the whole group was behind the waterfall, examining the cave. The cave was massive; large enough to house a tribe of up to three-hundred macaws with plenty of room to spare. Because of this, it was the Spix tribe's important evacuation point in the event of a forest fire. Blu examined the sheer size of the waterfall cave while Zephyr looked on sceptically.

"I'm not sure whether our cousin Nuvem has told those bats about this spot but I hope he hasn't," he said.

"Apparently not," said Brisa, "He did say that he told them about our tribe and ravine but he didn't say anything about the waterfall cave…"

Nearby, Roberto and Venus examined a dip in the side of the cave and also the wall which was riddled with countless ledges. The waterfall cave extended a good distance back and ended in a dead end but several tunnels branched from the end and continued onward underground. Eduardo and the other leaders also examined the waterfall cave while Blu began to put his highly-developed mental math skills into action. He estimated the sizes of each of the bird tribe and clan, calculated an estimate of the parents with young chicks, unhatched eggs, elderly and adolescent macaws or other bird in each tribe and clan, and then imagined them all hiding in this cave. As he did that, Felipe scanned the cave as well.

"We're gonna need nesting material and food as well," he said, "Especially food, which we're gonna need plenty of for a few days."

"We could perhaps store it in that ridge and pit over there," said Jupiter, a nod to the areas where Roberto and Venus were. Roberto looked up at the red macaws.

"That's a good suggestion actually," he said, "We'd never thought about that."

"Have you birds reached your decision on where to hide your most vulnerable members yet?" asked Augustus. Blu then came back, a wide and hopeful smile and glint in his eyes.

"I think this area will be just suitable as our secret evacuation point," he said, "It's very large and continues further on underground in the form of three tunnels… there are plenty of ledges along the walls… and whenever our tribe hides in here, there is always a LOT of room to spare. We could perhaps use this spot as I believe it would house hundreds of vulnerable members from five tribes, several clans and smaller groups as well, with enough room for plenty of food in addition."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," said Jewel with a wider smile.

"Blu, you're a genius, like always," said Eduardo, "I should have seen what talent you had brought with you that you developed during your time as a p…"

"Animal companion," said Mimi before Eduardo could accidentally say Blu's most detested 'p' word and offend his son-in-law, knowing what he was like with that word.

"Animal companion, of course," said Eduardo. Blu just smiled before turning to Andromeda who stood with Eragon, Ophiuchus, Spock and Anakin.

"I think she should be called a genius as well," said he, "She was the one who suggested the idea."

"So did Pluto," said Eragon, a nod to Pluto as he stood with Rudi and Valeria.

"Of course, yes," said Blu. Then as soon as the place of evacuation had been sorted, the leaders and inner-circle birds returned to the tree hollow once again.

"Right, now that's sorted," said Blu, "What's the next step?"

"Well, we're gonna evacuate the Lear's macaws first," said Felipe, "But during that, we're gonna gather some food from our territories to bring here and into the waterfall cave…"

"We're gonna issue Cicatriz and Iracebeth a message that we have declared war on the colony as well," said Jewel fiercely.

"We'll do that as well," said Felipe. "And as soon as enough food has been gathered, we're gonna send the elderly first and then all our young and parents with unhatched eggs. Some young adult macaws will go in there to look after them as well. There in the waterfall cave will they stay until the war is over. Hopefully, they'll be safe in there…"

"And besides that," said Jupiter, "Should anything go wrong, the young adult macaws will be able to deal with it."

The others also nodded and murmured in agreement.

"That sounds effective," said Soleado.

"Definitely," said Reynaldo.

"I like that idea," said Rudi.

"It will surely keep all our vulnerable tribe and clan members safe," added Alonso.

"We'll have to let everyone else in the Sanctuary de Amazon know of the plan when we get back to our homes," said Marinho. Blu then decided to close the meeting.

"Then it's settled," he said as everyone stood up, "We're gonna get down to this right away. You lot return to your tribes and clans and tell the others of the plans while we send the messages to Cicatriz and Iracebeth that we've declared war on their colony…"

"You'd better get these tasks done as soon as possible as well," said Augustus, "We don't know when our former colony is going to proceed with the next stage of their plan which is invading the Lear's macaws' ravine…"

He turned worriedly to Mercury, Sapphire and Monique but the three wore confident expressions on their faces.

"Don't worry," said Sapphire, "We've got it covered. What we're gonna do is gather a lot of food from our territory and haul it to Felipe's tribe's home first and then we'll bring it here."

"We'll help you lot with that," said Pearl. Then soon, the group all moved to outside as Blu dismissed the meeting. As the non-Spix birds prepared to leave, Blu gazed at Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi, Roberto, Venus, Zephyr and Brisa and sighed.

"I hope it works, folks," he said in a murmur.

"It's just GOT to, Blu," said Jewel seriously, "It's just GOT to."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33- implementing the plans part one: the gathering of the food**

As the tribe and clan leaders and their inner circle birds prepared to depart for their respective tribe and clan homes and had received thanks from Blu, Jewel and their inner circle birds for coming, with Augustus and Melissa also being thanked, Jupiter sat perched on the ravine clifftops, a very sombre look on his face. Not too far away, Alonso, Soleado, Monique and Felipe were writing their declaration of war messages to Cicatriz and Iracebeth while Augustus talked with some other macaws and offering his sincere apologies about the recent events and also the trauma the prisoners had suffered in the horrible flying fox colony's interrogation area. As Jupiter gazed into the green sea of trees sprinkled with some colour as some birds flew by, the sound of flapping of a pair of membranous wings reached his ears. At this, the very sad vermillion coloured scarlet macaw turned and saw Melissa touch down beside him and go over to him.

"You don't look very happy," she said sympathetically. "Is it about your mate and what she's been through with the other eight prisoners?"

Jupiter sighed and did not reply for a minute until he finally spoke. "Pretty much," he murmured, "I just cannot believe what those bats have done to those poor macaws they had kidnapped, especially my mate Ruby. I had never known such cruelty inflicted on anyone before."

Melissa also sighed and sat beside him. "This is not going to be an easy thing to fix, I can tell you," she said, "All I and Augustus can do is apologise and say sorry for what had happened to your mate and friends but I know it's not going to be enough. If only we had managed to find a way out of our tree sooner when Cicatriz had confined us inside," she breathed another sigh and gazed into the sea of trees spreading ahead of the ravine clifftops, "You know, if you were a flying fox who is against these anti-bird teachings of the colony and you're caught helping birds, you're put to death."

Jupiter shot her a surprised look. "So it seems that those flying foxes are not only against us birds," he said, "But they also abhor anyone of their own colony who disagrees with the teachings?"

"Any flying fox who even questions the teachings are often seen as cowards and are treated as outcasts," said Melissa, "My aunt Eclipse, the mother of my late cousin Lily, had begun to question the teachings which led to my uncle leaving her and never speaking to her again. It happened after Lily had told her how some birds had rescued her from a poacher's trap."

"So that was what led your cousin into protecting birds, particularly rare species, from the savage and gruesome attacks of the colony and their hatred of birds based on those claptrap teachings at the cost of her life?" asked Jupiter. Melissa nodded. "Partly that," she said. Jupiter then felt a thought come to him. He had wanted to ask Melissa this question before but did not have the chance to do that. Now was the opportunity so he seized it.

"You know," he said, "I've wanted to ask you this question. It's been on my mind since I was found after my first incident of falling into that rushing stream with a psychotic cockatoo a few years ago."

"Oh yeah and what is that?" asked Melissa but then she blinked in confusion. "Psychotic cockatoo?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, that's a long story," said Jupiter, "His name was Nigel and he was an exotic bird-hating cockatoo and a former pet of poachers who used to be a famous show bird in the human world."

Melissa blinked in revulsion at the mentioning of the word 'poacher'.

"Those humans are nothing but menaces, poachers," she growled, "Always stealing animals from their natural home to trade as objects. My aunt Eclipse was taken by one and Lily would have been as well had that group of birds not rescued her in time."

"You obviously are aware that birds such as us aren't to blame for pesky humans like poachers, aren't you," said Jupiter.

"Of course you birds aren't to blame for those pesky humans," snapped Melissa slightly, "Same with logging activity, and any natural disaster such as drought. That's why I and my family are against the teachings of the colony that you are, alongside a few other bats."

"Anyway, coming back to my close brush with death in that rushing stream, when I woke up," continued Jupiter, "I found myself in some strange place. I kept on questioning on whether it were real or not, or that it was just a near-death experience but the forms I saw were a white furry creature sort of like your son over there," he nodded to Sebastian as he talked with Carla and Justin as they flew past, "Two more similar shaped figures but with brown or reddish fur, and some rather bizarre birds…" Jupiter then stood up and took a few steps towards the edge of the precipice, his eyes continuously on the sea of trees and morning sky. "Some of those birds resembled scarlet macaws but had paler orange and yellow patches on the backs of their heads, purplish wings with blue flight feathers and blue tails with a red tip…"

Melissa, as she took in this description, stood up and went over to him, a smile on her face.

"That was my cousin Lily's hideout you're describing before it was found by some of Cicatriz's spies," she said. At this, Jupiter shot her as surprised gaze.

"It was what?" he said.

"Don't you remember, Jupiter?" asked Melissa, "Around three years ago? That white form you're talking about was my cousin Lily. The two other flying foxes were named Marcus and Ana, both who were Lily's friends and helpers, and those scarlet macaw-like birds were some of the last surviving Cuban red macaws."

Jupiter continued to gaze at her. In his mind, the pieces were finally coming together: the white form with fur, the strange looking scarlet macaw-like birds, the names Lily, Marcus and Ana. Then what Melissa said finally clicked those pieces into place and the puzzle Jupiter had been going over in his mind for three years was finally solved.

"Lily reported to me and Augustus about how they had pulled out a male scarlet macaw with red-orange feathers and a muscular build from one of the streams in our territory and took him to the hideout, well away from the other bats who would have put him to death had they seen him," said she.

"So… that place where I thought was just a near-death hallucination," said Jupiter, "It was definitely real and not a hallucination at all? _"_

Melissa, a smile on her face, nodded.

"It was REAL!?" repeated Jupiter with increasing shock. Melissa confirmed it with a larger nod.

"It was REAL!" shouted Jupiter in immense joy, "I can't believe that it was actually your late cousin and her two friends that had saved me from the other flying foxes!"

Jupiter could not believe it. The three-year long mystery of the strange place he had seen was finally solved.

Not too far away, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Velocity, Diantha and Orion were heading for the ravine's entrance, worried looks on their faces.

"Boy, my heart sure is pounding for the Lear's macaw tribe," murmured Eustace, his gaze on Mercury, Sapphire, Monique and Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and some other Lear's macaws as they talked with Felipe on the clifftops about the Lear's tribe's evacuation to the red tribe's home patch.

"I'm not surprised, Eustace," said Milo, "They're next on the flying foxes' list of bird tribes to drive out."

"Those critically endangered navy blue and teal birds aren't gonna stand a chance against a wave of invading bats," said Rosa, "If a clan of hyacinth macaws had lost so many of their members to such a savage wave, what chance would a tribe of smaller macaws have?"

"Outright slaughter," said Orion darkly. Velocity and Diantha then winced in revulsion at the thought of seeing a patch of jungle littered with Lear's macaw corpses. Clemont and Serena were about to speak when a voice called them. At this, all eight heads turned and faced the speaker, Blu who flew up to them with Jewel by his side. At this, Velocity rolled her eyes.

"Let me guess, you want us to return to Rio for our safety?" she asked.

"Or perhaps yell at us for not obeying you in the first place," put in Orion.

"Given the choice, yes," said Blu firmly, "But that is not the reason why we have come to meet you."

At this, the eight city birds exchanged glances.

"Then what is it that you want with us?" asked Diantha. Jewel fluttered up to the group, a stern look on her face.

"Well, since you have helped us, especially Augustus and Melissa, in uncovering that sly change in the flying foxes' plans in kidnapping us," she said firmly, "We would like you lot to continue to help us."

"How?" asked Eustace. While they were talking, Diantha caught sighted a flash of movement out the corner of her eye. At this, she turned and gazed at the location with wonder before leaving the group, the others not noticing her departure.

"I want you to help us in the next stage of our plans," said Blu, "And that is the gathering of food and the subsequent evacuation of the vulnerable members of our tribes and clans to our ravine."

Jewel's eyes then travelled to Velocity and Milo and she added, "Especially since you two had participated in that famous journey to Guyana with our three first-brood offspring Carla, Bia and Tiago and some of the others a few years ago to search for the legendary treasure and save the sanctuary from certain nature reserve status loss."

"With all due respect, Blu we'd love to help out in the next stage of the plans," said Orion, "But which tribe or clan would you like us to help to evacuate?"

"We've got the food gathering stage first," said Blu, "but we'll decide on which tribe or clan we'll have you help to evacuate after this."

The five cockatoos and two falcons all gazed at each other. Then Milo noticed Diantha's absence.

"Diantha?" he asked and gazed around the ravine but could not see her anywhere. Assuming that she has flown off to see Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira or any of the other closest friends, Milo continued listening to Blu and Jewel's instructions with the other six. Diantha fluttered through the entrance of hole of the ravine and gazed around at the outside jungle for the something she had spotted until her eyes landed on something moving slowly through the morning sunlight bathing the air in a clearing of trees. It resembled a leafy cloak which led Diantha to assume that it was one of Andromeda's clan members but then she realised that the flying thing was flying by itself with no bat-bird mount under it. Then the hooded figure turned round and gazed at Diantha. A pair of eyes gleamed in the hood's shadow but their owner's face was concealed. However, Diantha definitely knew that it was not a flying fox for she could see some flashes of colour blink on either side of the leaf cloak and make out the outlines of a beak in the hood beneath the two eyes. The creature then turned round and continued to fly off. Diantha darted off after it.

"Wait, who are you?" she shouted as she flew off after the figure. However, the figure had disappeared into a cluster of trees. Diantha stopped to a hover, looking on in confusion when the flapping noise of two pairs of wings, one feathered and the other membranous, reached her ears. At this, Diantha turned and saw Jupiter and Melissa approach her, curious looks on their faces.

"Seen something odd, Diantha?" asked Jupiter. Diantha, at first, felt her tongue stick in her throat but then she finally broke through the block.

"I-I-I saw some sort of bird wearing a leafy cloak over there," she explained, a talon pointing to the location of where she last saw the figure. "At first I thought it was one of the archaeobirds but when I saw that it was flying by itself and had some sort of beak below its eyes under its hood, I was left confused…"

As she said this, Melissa followed Diantha's point and saw a floating leaf cloak fly through the trees. At this, she darted off after it. Based on how fast she flew towards the figure, it appeared that she had recognised it or knew whoever was under that cloak. Diantha and Jupiter followed.

"I hope we're not too distracted by whatever you saw because we really should be starting the food gathering and the Lear's tribe's evacuation," said Jupiter as he flew alongside Diantha.

 **Later**

The evacuation of the Lear's tribe was soon underway alongside the gathering of the food. Like during the events of drought or other environmental crisis, countless macaws and other birds from the tribes and clans and smaller groups went out into the food groves and picked whatever ripe fruit they could find and carried them in large amounts, using leaf and twig bags to save numerous trips and energy, back to their storage compartments in their territory. However, the tribes and clans were instead hauling it all the way to the Spix macaws' ravine waterfall cave for that was where the most vulnerable members of every tribe, clan and group was to go. The Lear's macaws, however, were hauling food from their groves to the red tribe's territory first before taking it to the Spix macaws' ravine.

As the evacuation of the Lear's macaw tribe was going on, the air of their ravine filled with dozens and dozens of navy blue hyacinth macaw-like birds with teal-tinted facial markings and yellow-orange eye rings and beak lappets alongside some red macaws with green or yellow and blue or teal wings and tails guiding them, Mercury was hovering about the licuri nut trees picking nuts to put into a bag held by two other Lear's macaws, one of them named Alejandro who was one of Sapphire's friends. Mercury was flying with a heavy heart and it was slowing down his concentration on the important task and his face was twisted into one full of trouble and distress, so his efforts were half-hearted. As another licuri nut flew from his talon and into the bag held by Alejandro and the other macaw, Alejandro glared at Mercury with impatience-ladled eyes.

"Come on, Mercury," he muttered, "Speed up well you? We don't have time for slowness."

Mercury tried to speed up but the troubles on his mind kept clouding his concentration on the licuri nut picking job. As another two nuts entered the bag, Alejandro rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Do you want me to take over?" he asked. Mercury only gazed at him with a sombre look on his face when Mars came by. Alejandro gazed at Mercury's green-winged macaw friend.

"I told him to speed up," he said, "But he wouldn't get a move on. Something's wrong with him."

Mars gazed at Mercury as he fluttered onto a branch next to a cluster of licuri nuts and perched there, a heartbroken sigh escaping his beak. However, he understood why Mercury was so down in the swamps.

"I believe it has something to do with the crisis, Alejandro," said Mars, "A lot has happened over the past few days, from the death of his and Sapphire's youngest son Ozzy to Waldo's kidnapping, torture and revealing of the information about your tribe and your ravine to the flying foxes and to the horrible threat of certain slaughter hanging over you like a storm cloud..."

"Sapphire and Monique, as well as Rosalind, are also very depressed and upset," said the other Lear's macaw who hovered with Alejandro, a female but then she lightened up. "But at least we have had two flying foxes from that colony who were willing to come forth and help us deal with this threat…"

"Hey, work," barked a voice, jolting the macaw, Alejandro, Mars and Mercury out of the conversation and making them gaze at the speaker, which was Sapphire, as she shot each of them annoyed looks. Pearl flew alongside her with Regina her daughter, agreeing looks on their faces.

"And Mars," added Pearl, "Could you go and help a family of Lear's macaws carry their unhatched eggs and young chicks please? We've got no time for chitchat like this."

"Yes, ma'am," said Mars and after shooting the three Lear's macaws an apologetic look, he flew off to look for a Lear's macaw family among the porous sandstone cliff where countless families were evacuating, the eggs and chicks too young to fly being carried by some red macaws, while Alejandro, his assistant and Mercury returned to work, Mercury resuming picking licuri nuts. Despite the burden of troubles that weighed his heart like a stone tied to him in water, Mercury tried his best to pick more licuri nuts in a shorter time. Alejandro looked on with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Look, I know how devastated you are with the whole thing as are we," he said apologetically, "And I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier but we need to get this task done if we're to avoid the same massacre the blue-throated macaws and hyacinth Bluewings faced the other night."

Mercury nodded in understanding and continued picking more licuri nuts and tossing them into the bag.

 **Meanwhile**

Cicatriz stood on a high branch overlooking the clearing of the grove that used to belong to the Bluewing Clan, his single left eye gleefully watching the flying foxes as they trained for the impending invasion on the Lear's macaws. Sharp-sticks were thrown and clashed in practice fights while other weapons were practiced on fruit bird dummies, battering them into unrecognisable pulps. Cicatriz and Iracebeth had taken up temporary residency in the hollow Violeta and Demetrio had called their home and their two offspring, son Iago and daughter Veruca were in a fighting class back in the main heart of the flying foxes' growing territory. Cicatriz's wicked smile, or should that be, devilish grimace, widened all the more as his left eye took in how well the flying foxes' skills were developing, while his mind was warped with the excitement of the upcoming massacre of the Lear's macaw tribe once the invasion of their ravine arrived, and he clearly looked forward to seeing the terrified faces of countless navy blue teal-tinted faced macaws, seeing more navy blue forms fall from the air, slain mercilessly, blood and navy blue feathers flying everywhere, and hearing screams of terror and anguish from distressed Lear's macaws as they watched their tribemates perish, among other disturbing things for Cicatriz absolutely loved a massacre scene. However, the deranged colony patriarch was totally unaware of the evacuation that was taking place in the target area at this very moment.

As the colony patriarch continued watching and examining the flying foxes as they continued to practice their combat skills and improving them, the sounds of a few pairs of flapping membranous wings drew his attention from them to a small group of flying foxes as they approached him. To his surprise, the group looked battered and bruised and one of them struggled to fly but based on their minor injuries, the attack had not been that violent. Then Cicatriz's left eye spotted something green in the foot claws of one of them.

"Cicatriz," called one at the front, a brown female, "While we were examining the border to the blue-and-gold macaw tribes' territory in our new patch, we were suddenly ambushed by a group of macaws who demanded we take these messages from the bird tribe and clan leaders to you and Iracebeth."

"Messages from the bird tribe and clan leaders?" repeated Cicatriz, the eyebrow above his blind eye raised. The bat that had the green leaves then passed them to Cicatriz who took them and read them. As he took a few seconds to read them, the group of bats looking on, his smile widened into a wicked grimace.

"Ah, so those feathered worms want an all-out war against us for their territories rather than face a direct invasion and driving out by us, do they?" he crooned, before he gazed at the group that had brought the message. "Then a war it is. Maybe those good-for-nothing flying disasters could do with a lesson they will never forget."

Turning to the group, he said, "Thanks for bringing the message, folks. I'll find Iracebeth and show her this message; then we'll write a reply to those feathered worms and then discuss this with our inner circle bats and tell them that there's been a change of plan. In the meantime, you resume your patrolling of the border or practice your fighting skills."

"Yes, Cicatriz," said the lead bat and with that, the group dropped from the branch into the air and flew away while Cicatriz abandoned his perch to find Iracebeth, the message leaves in tow.

 **Hours later until evening**

A number of hours passed and the birds continued to gather food and haul it into the Spix tribe's ravine and waterfall cave. The stocks continued to grow in the cave and were constantly being monitored by either Blu, Roberto or Zephyr. The Spix macaws wanted to make sure that there was enough food to feed several hundred birds for several days until the war against the flying foxes was over, and this task had called for every eligible pair of talons and beak to assist in the task. Macaws and other birds of various species: Spix, scarlet, green-winged, great green, military, blue-and-gold, blue-throated, hyacinth, glaucous, Lear's and the smaller macaw and parrot species, such as golden conures, chestnut-fronted macaws, blue-headed macaws and the rest, including the archaeobirds, entered in and out of the Spix macaws' ravine bringing in a large variety of food from their territory. During the process, the entire Lear's macaw tribe had been successfully evacuated from their ravine and to Felipe's tribe, taking a massive hoard of food with them, especially licuri nuts, an important food in their diet, before taking it to the Spix tribe's ravine. Also during the food gather, bird patrols had been flying about the territories keeping an eye on things and watching for any roaming flying foxes. However, to their surprise, the flying fox intrusions seemed to have decreased drastically but Augustus and Melissa, who were assisting in the food gathering, had warned the birds that this will not last long which compelled the birds to gather as much food as they could and haul it to the Spix macaws' ravine as quickly as possible. The next task will involve evacuating the elderly birds to the Spix tribe's ravine waterfall cave and once that was done, the young and parents will be next and this was not going to be a very easy task. However, the birds will tackle the problems when they come to it.

The evacuation of the Lear's macaw tribe from their ravine had also not been easy for some Lear's macaws had been reluctant to leave their home and ravine. These macaws required gentle but very firm persuasion of them to get them out of the ravine and into the safety of Felipe's tribe's home grove under the promise that the Lear's macaws would get their ravine back after the war. After all, it was for their safety. One of the macaws who had been reluctant to leave the ravine was Sapphire though she had been willing to help the red macaws assist in the evacuation and the food gathering. The ravine had been her birthplace and she had missed it for more than fifteen years of her life after she was torn from the Lear's macaw tribe by a fire when she was young. She had hoped that her tribe would eventually get back their rightful heirloom after the impending war with the flying foxes and had to focus on her duties as deputy leader of the Lear's macaw tribe with Mercury by her side. However, due to her half-brother Waldo being out of the picture, especially after revealing to the flying foxes almost every key point about the Lear's macaws and their habitat, the role as tribe leaders was likely to be passed on to Mercury and Sapphire, and Mercury was especially reluctant to take the role for he felt that he was not built for leading a tribe of macaws. It truly was a difficult time for the Lear's macaws but they were all eventually out of their ravine and in the safety of the red tribe's home, and will be there until after the upcoming war with the flying foxes.

 **In the hospital**

The sun was approaching its setting point in the western horizon. In the animal hospital, the human employees who worked dayshifts were preparing to pass their role to the nightshift workers. In a certain room in the birds' department, several macaws were chatting. A group of macaws, specifically Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio, Fernanda the blue-throated macaws and Pluto, Charon, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden the glaucous macaws, and Blu, Venus, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda and Virgil from the Spix macaws, had come to visit the group while Jewel took over the task for a time. Blu had decided to take a break from the whole task and visit the macaws and Glimmergem who were still in hospital. Callisto had also accompanied the visiting group to see Athos and Ceres.

The eight surviving prisoners, Ted, Esmeralda, Ruby, Alfonso, Lapis Lazuli, Orquidea, Waldo and Nuvem, were now wide awake after sleeping for so long, almost an entire day. However, they were still tired and starving, and had diminished their food bowls the bird carers had placed in their cages around an hour ago, but they had enough energy to talk with the visitors and with Ceres, Glimmergem and Athos. As the mixed group of blue-throated, glaucous, Spix and green-winged macaws stood before the rescued prisoners in their cages, Pluto with his oldest son and daughter and their other halves talking with Lapis Lazuli, Quincy and Flor were busy helping in the gathering of the food back in the Sanctuary de Amazon, Ceres gazed down at the long snaking streak stretching from just below her neck, right down the left side of her body to the top of her left leg and frowned. Cobalto, Azul, Aurelio, Wilbur and Fernanda gazed sympathetically at her as she then turned her gaze to her reflection in the shiny surface of the metallic worktop, her worried eyes on the streak on her brow.

"You're worried that those two gashes are going to scar, aren't you, honey?" said Cobalto. Ceres sighed.

"You have no idea what me, Fernanda and Azul have been through when we were torn from the other blue-throated macaws during that dreadful night," muttered she, her right wing (her left one was still in its cast) brushing over her stitched brow, "Not only will I be having scars on my physical body, but also the mental scars resulting from the terrors from the flying fox attack on us."

Ceres shuddered as the horrible memories flashed in her mind as vividly as they had the night after the attack. She flinched as she heard hyacinth and blue-throated macaw screams of terror and anguish and devilish flying fox laughter, and also the sights of macaw bodies falling from the sky slain, armed, gleaming eyed flying foxes decked out in black war paint as black as the darkness of the night sky without the moon and the stars to light it up, their black décor streaked with blood-red markings on their faces, bodies and wings, and weapons such as sharp-sticks, including the one that slashed the gash on Ceres's left side, flashing menacingly in the dark. It was honestly like something straight of a horror film and Ceres still suffered nightmares about that night. However, that was small fry compared to the horrors the eight rescued prisoners had been through.

The eight macaws in their cages were still nearly featherless and the majority of their skins were mottled with blue-black and greyish blooms of bruises, especially around the necks, the faces and chests. Streaking the mottled jaguar's blotch like bruised skin were dozens of reddish streaks of gashes and scratches and their wings were almost completely featherless, like the wings of a newly hatched chick. Blu was utterly thunderstruck at the result of the horrors the flying foxes had put the eight macaws through and was fortunate that he didn't faint at the sight of eight nearly featherless forms that lay in their cages.

"They're gonna be in here for a good few months," explained Glimmergem as she watched Pluto and the other four talk with Lapis Lazuli and Waldo whose eyes were weeping a torrent of tears. The eyes of the other six were also sending floods of tears running down their nearly featherless faces.

"Obviously, their feathers are gonna require time to grow back, especially their wing and tail flight feathers," continued Glimmergem, "Before they are released back into the wild."

"It's utterly terrible what those horrible bats have put them through," murmured Athos as he stood with Callisto, his left leg in a cast. He wanted to make the most of the short time he had with his scarlet girlfriend as much as possible.

"But at least they'll be safe from the upcoming war," said Azul gratefully. He then sighed as he stared at his reflection in the shiny surface of the worktop as well, gazing at the healed scratches on his face and upper body.

"We've got a lot of things to do in the next few days," said Virgil as he stood by Bia, "Once the food gathering task has been completed, the vulnerable members of every tribe, clan and small group will be evacuated to our waterfall cave."

"It seems that you guys have come up with quite an effective plan," said Nuvem from his cage, "I hope it works out in the end," his face then fell as guilt swamped him, "If only I hadn't told those bats about our tribe, ravine and everything else, especially how our home became to be set up as a protected reserve."

Ruby extended a featherless wing through the cage bars and gently placed it on his shoulder. "We're all guilty of that," she said.

"Absolutely," said Alfonso in an edgy voice as his emotions threatened to spill. Esmeralda, Ted and Orquidea did not say anything but they nodded in agreement.

"And I think Andromeda and Eragon will be furious with me for telling those bats about their clan now," murmured Lapis Lazuli, a tear falling from her eye.

"And I'm not worthy to be called a leader anymore after revealing so much information to the flying foxes about our heirloom ravine, our tribe and some other important and confidential information too," murmured Waldo. He then sighed. "I reckon those flying foxes will be driving out my tribe next anytime soon."

"Haven't you heard what Dad said?" asked Tiago as he stood with Matilda, "Felipe and his tribe had evacuated them to their home grove."

"Have they?" said Waldo in surprise.

"The Lear's macaws are safe with the red macaws for now," said Carla, "So you need not worry about that."

Waldo, at this, felt a sliver of joy streak through him like the light of a shooting star through the black sea of the night sky as he felt relieved that his tribe was safe.

"I hope Sapphire and Mercury will make great leaders after this mess is sorted," he said in an edgy voice, "They're doing so well."

"Yeah, but Mercury is finding it very difficult to cope with the stress at the moment," said Virgil as he stood with Bia.

"The loss of his youngest son Ozzy and the recent events have pretty much taken their toll on him," said Matilda. Blu, at this, managed a smile.

"But at least he and Sapphire have Monique and Sapphire's cousin Rosalind by their sides helping them," he said, "Despite those events. Monique is, after all, very strong willed."

"She's honestly a macaw of coconut shell material," said Waldo with a smile on his beak, his first one since his kidnap and torture, "I have my immense respect for her."

"And I hope Uranus and my dear six offspring are doing alright as well," said Esmeralda.

"Same for Jupiter and my offspring and Mars and his family," added Ruby before her eyes landed on Callisto. A small smile formed in her beak, "And I hope you obey your uncle Felipe's rules and orders, young lady."

Callisto, a tear falling from her face, nodded. Orquidea then said, "And I hope Saturn and my nine offspring are doing alright as well," her face then fell as guilt took hold. "I deeply regret falling out with him and going into the former territory of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws against Soleado and Zoie's orders. If only I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have been through that mess and the blue-and-gold tribe wouldn't have suffered this…"

She then began to weep and sniffle as her emotions got the better of her. She felt guilty of how Saturn, Clemont and Serena, along with Ganymede, would have likely died at the clutches of those horrible and murderous flying foxes had Augustus and his family had not been there to intervene. The eight rescued macaws also felt extremely guilty at telling those flying foxes about the Sanctuary de Amazon and almost every key piece of information about each of their tribes, clans and smaller groups and their habitat though Nuvem had noted to Blu and his accompanying two daughters, son and their other halves that he did not mention anything about the waterfall cave which Blu was especially glad for. Then suddenly, the sound of the door's bolt clicking out of its socket reached the ears of the group. At this, Blu and the others snapped their gazes from the eight macaws to the door as two humans walked in.

"We'd better be off," said Blu, "We've got a lot of things still to deal with. We'll see you guys later."

The eight macaws, along with Ceres, Glimmergem and Athos, all smiled and then hugged the visitors. Nuvem hugged Justin, Matilda and Virgil who noted to their first cousin, once roamed that Zephyr, Venus, Brisa, Roberto, Charlotte, Jojo, Felix and Lavender send their love. Ruby also hugged Callisto before she turned to spend the final moments with her boyfriend. Lapis Lazuli also hugged Pluto, Charon, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden while Ceres hugged Cobalto, Fernanda and her three sons.

"I hope you guys put an end to those wretched bats' plans," cried Lapis Lazuli as she wrapped her featherless wings around her mate, oldest daughter and son and their other halves.

"We will, my precious Lapis," said Pluto, his wings stretched through the bars of Lapis Lazuli's cage and locking her in an embrace.

"We've got Augustus and Melissa by our side," said Charon.

"And they are excellent tacticians," said Blueberry. After breaking the hug with Lapis Lazuli, Pluto turned to say goodbye to the other macaws. Neytiri and Aiden took the opportunity to spend the final moments with Lapis Lazuli.

"I hope you get well soon," said Aiden.

"Quincy and Flor send their love as well," said Neytiri, "As do everyone else."

"We will," whispered Lapis Lazuli. Just then, Neytiri and Aiden heard their names get called.

"Blu's calling you," said Orquidea in the cage next to Lapis Lazuli. At this, Aiden and Neytiri turned and saw Blu standing with the other visitors, ready for take-off. With one final glance at Lapis Lazuli and the other seven, Aiden and Neytiri pulled their gazes away from them and joined the other visitors. Ceres, Athos and Glimmergem stood by the eight macaws as the group, after saying one final goodbye, took off and flapped towards the open window through which they entered the building.

"I hope Porthos, Aramis and Squaw'tagnan continue to deal with this difficult time as well," murmured Athos sadly as he watched his beloved scarlet girlfriend follow Pluto out of the window. Ceres placed her right wing gently onto his shoulder.

"I'm sure they are, Athos," she said.

"They've got Dione, Miranda and Phoebe and their friends with them after all," said Glimmergem.

"And I wish good luck to Blu and everyone else as they continue to deal with the massive threat as well," said Waldo. The others nodded in agreement as they watched Blu's tail disappear through the open window as he left after the other visitors.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34- implementing the plans part two: evacuating the elderly and preparing the young for evacuation**

 **The next morning**

The sun rose into the sky above the Amazon rainforest and various diurnal animals were walking up to start their usual daily activities. However, in the Sanctuary de Amazon, birds of various species were flying back and forth carrying a variety of fruit, plants and nuts to the Spix tribe's ravine waterfall cave. The birds of the Sanctuary de Amazon including the archaeobirds had woken up early in the morning, before sunrise, to continue the task. As various bird species dropped off the food in the waterfall cave before flying off to gather some more, Zephyr and Venus went about the stocks, checking the amounts. Outside, the Spix macaws fit enough for battle were training under Jewel's leadership, some using weapons such as sticks. Among the piles of food were Brazil nuts collected from the Brazil nut grove, various types of guava, other nuts including the Lear's macaws' favourite nut, the licuri nut, plant material that was edible, pineapples, berries and much more. Zephyr and Venus smiled at the wide variety of food gathered into the cave.

"How's it going?" asked Eduardo as some blue-throated macaws left after setting down some citrus fruit they had picked from the Navyfeather Clan's territory around a foot away from him.

"Very well," said Venus, "Looks like we've been gathering plenty of food over the past day and this morning."

Zephyr's eyes then travelled to the Spix macaws that had already evacuated to the waterfall cave, many of them parents with unhatched eggs or chicks too young to fly as they settled in the makeshift nests the birds had also constructed in the cave. Kira and Jojo helped one couple carry two chicks and place them into one such nest directly in front of him while many other birds, among them red macaws, green macaws and blue-and-yellow macaws, continued to build more nests on the walls and floor with more plant material.

"The nest building is also going well," he said, "Soon there should be enough nests for everyone."

Venus's attention then turned to the nests being built by some hyacinth macaws, among them Neptune. The hyacinth macaws had decided to sit closest to the waterfall in case any intruders found the ravine for they were larger and more powerful. Going over to Neptune as he sat down to take a break, Venus asked, "How's your clan doing, Neptune?"

"Oh, fine thanks," said Neptune in reply, a wing brushing his brow, "We're just grouping all the elderly hyacinth, blue-throated and glaucous macaws and archaeobirds ready for their evacuation to here once this task has been completed."

"Falkor is assisting in the gathering of all the elderly birds from the smaller group as well," said another hyacinth macaw after he had checked the nest.

"That's good," said Zephyr, "Make sure that they're ready for their trip to here and then see to the chicks, the eggs and the parents of those eggs and chicks."

Neptune nodded and turned to leave through the gap between the mouth of the cave's rim and the waterfall while Venus sat down and placed her face into her wings.

"This task is honestly exhausting," she murmured as Eduardo came over, "I hadn't slept much at all last night."

"Neither has many other macaws, star flower," said Zephyr, a wing on his mate's back. "The situation with the flying foxes is causing everyone stress."

"Huh, tell me about it," growled Eduardo. Just then, flapping wings reached the three's ears as a Spix, red and glaucous macaw patrol group touched down.

"Report on the flying fox intrusions in our territory, Brisa," asked Zephyr. The Spix macaw at the front, Brisa, stepped forward from the group of Spix, scarlet, green-winged and glaucous macaws to deliver the report.

"Very little activity," she said, "We've checked the territory of the Spix macaw tribe and also that of the red macaws but no flashes of drab coloured fur or membranous wings."

"In fact we've not seen any groups of flying foxes at all, other than Augustus and Melissa who is helping us in the food and nest gathering near the Brazil nut grove," said Chiquitita who had been on the patrol with the group, "But based on Augustus's warnings, we don't know how long this will last."

"We'd better be quick in evacuating the elderly and the young as soon as this is finished," said one of the glaucous macaws named Rodrigo, "Before any of those furballs show their faces again, the sooner the better, really."

"Okay, thank you," said Zephyr, "You may return to gather some food or practice your fighting skills."

Chiquitita, Brisa and Rodrigo and their group nodded and left. Venus watched them leave.

"I would like to participate in the upcoming battle too," she said. At this, Zephyr turned round and grabbed her by the sides, shaking her.

"You CAN'T!" he said, "You remember what almost happened the last time you ran into that group of some of those furry membrane winged barbarians after the most recent fire."

Venus nodded. Five years on, the memories of the terror Venus faced with Voldemort's group was still as vivid in her mind as though they had happened yesterday. However, she still wanted to go into battle against the flying foxes but Zephyr had been utterly concerned for her safety and had argued against it. This clash had led the couple into bickering a lot over the matter over the past day since the decision to declare war on the bats had been reached. Venus was at times a very stubborn macaw which Zephyr sometimes found very annoying.

"I know I was almost killed by a group of those bats," she snapped stubbornly, "But I still want to fight by your side. I CANNOT stand the thought of you getting injured or killed in the battlefield."

"Same here," snapped Zephyr with a bit of anger in his voice, "I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt or killed either…"

Eduardo rolled his eyes as the couple began to argue back and forth once again, knowing there was nothing he could do.

"This has been going on since we had sent the message of war declaration to Cicatriz and his colony," he murmured and left to assist a family of Spix macaw settle into one of the nests, leaving Venus and Zephyr to have yet another argument over the matter.

 **Meanwhile**

The flying foxes continued training for the upcoming battle against the inhabitants of the Sanctuary de Amazon. As the sun continued to creep along the sky, the Amazon air in the heart of the flying foxes' territory continued to shake at the sounds of clashing of weapons and mock battle cries as the flying foxes, those that were going to participate in the war, continued their mock fights against each other. Cicatriz and Iracebeth watched the fighters as they continued to sharpen their skills, Iracebeth also admiring her prized possession, her weapon and the number of feathered trophies she had harvested from her kills, including one from a harpy eagle.

"Our bats certainly are improving on their fighting skills, eh, my dear?" said Iracebeth.

"Yes," said Cicatriz with a croon, "Soon, we will be goin' against those good-for-nothing feathered worms and hopefully, the war will be won and those protected habitats those birds currently own will be OURS!"

And with that, he released an evil snicker.

"While those feathered rodents, if any of them survive, will be facing poaching and logging, the disasters they have caused us for generations," crooned Iracebeth despite the fact that this was an outright lie. Cicatriz sniggered in agreement and swept his mate in his membranous wings, staring lovingly into her eyes while Iracebeth embraced him in return. Just then, the sound of flapping membranous wings reached their ears, causing the two to break their embrace. Ratigan touched down before the leaders.

"Ratigan, you're just in time," said Cicatriz.

"You called, Cicatriz?" asked Ratigan. Cicatriz stepped forward.

"Yes, I have called you with an important task," said Cicatriz, "You know whenever a bird tribe or clan we plan to drive out have chosen the war option and a group of bats sneak into that tribe or clan's home to kill any members that stay behind and away from the fight? I want you to set up that group of bats and have them ready to sneak into those feathered rodents' homes to carry out the slaughter of their chicks, eggs, adolescents, and the elderly members of those tribes and clans and smaller groups on the day of the war. You know what to do."

"Yes, sir," said Ratigan respectfully and with that, he took off to round up some of the flying foxes for the task. Cicatriz looked on as he left.

"You know something my dear Iracebeth," he said evilly, "This is certainly an effective strategy in grabbing land from particularly stubborn bird tribes and clans. Grandfather certainly was a genius in coming up with that tactic."

"Yes and those good-for-nothing birds know nothing about it," crooned Iracebeth, her faced creased into a fiendish grin, "I love it when our enemies fall for our stealthy tricks and when they do, they fall for it bait, cage and poacher's trap. Hopefully, those Spix pests and their neighbours will do just that."

"Absolutely," said Cicatriz and with that, an "Hm-hm-hm-hm!" escaped his throat. However, the colony leaders were completely unaware that Augustus and Melissa had divulged this secret to the bird tribes and clans who were soon to prepare to evacuate the elderly members to a secret cave behind the waterfall in the Spix tribe's ravine.

 **Later**

The birds' gathering of the food continued for another whole day right into its evening. Birds continued to train in their skills while the elderly tribe, clan and group members prepared for their evacuation to the Spix tribe's ravine and waterfall cave, and on the morning of the following day, the food gathering continued until at last, there was enough food for all the evacuees in the cave to last them a few days, which the birds had hoped that the war against the flying foxes would be shorter before the food stocks ran short. Once the food stocking job had been completed, the next step was to evacuate the elderly to the Spix tribe's ravine, so in all the tribes, clans and small groups, aged birds had been rounded up and their numbers counted before being escorted through the territories and into the Spix tribe's ravine to behind the waterfall. In the red tribe's home grove, elderly scarlet, green-winged and Lear's macaws had been rounded up while the elderly birds of the smaller groups gathered in a separate group. Sapphire and Mercury helped with the rounding up of the Lear's macaws, among them Rosalind who was well on in her years, as well as some of the red macaws. As she perched with the other elderly macaws from both tribes, Rosalind gazed at the other elderly macaws as Mars and two other younger adult macaws counted the elderly red macaws. In the space of the grove, younger red and Lear's macaws were practicing their battle skills ready for the upcoming fight with the flying foxes like how the Spix macaws did in their ravine. The same was true for the other eligible macaws in the other tribes, clans and smaller groups' home patches. Monique soon came by, a worried look on her face.

"I don't know how I am going to lead the Lear's tribe in the war with your first-cousin, once-removed and her mate, Rosalind," she murmured, "Especially without Waldo by me side."

"You're gonna just have to do your best, sweetie," said Rosalind. Monique then perched beside her and bowed her head tearfully.

"If only we had rescued him in time from those flying foxes," she murmured, "And prevented him from going through such a horrible and torturous ordeal in their territory for information about us, he wouldn't have come out like this…"

She shuddered as she remembered seeing Waldo's near-featherless, bruised and scratched body, the immense terror and delirium in his eyes from complete lack of sleep for four whole nights, and his gauntness caused by absolutely no food as well. Furthermore, the death of former patriarch of the Lear's macaw tribe Valentino had added to Monique's fury against the flying foxes and she looked forward to sinking her claws and talons into their fur and flesh in the upcoming battle. Rosalind's wing came and rested gently on her shoulder.

"Look, those furballs are gonna learn a lesson from us that they will _never_ forget," said Rosalind firmly, "And besides that, we've got Augustus and Melissa by our side helping us. Let's just remain focussed on evacuating us old macaws to the Spix tribe's ravine and then concentrate on the young and parents next, okay?"

Encouraged by Rosalind's kind words, Monique nodded and returned to counting the other elderly Lear's macaws.

As the oldest members of both the Lear's and the red macaw tribes continued to gather and be counted, nervousness hung over them like a cloud for some feared for the trip to the Spix tribe's ravine awaiting them. Despite the fact that the flying fox intrusions had drastically reduced, some of the macaws feared that a few of those barbaric bats might still be roaming the territory even now and they feared that a group of them might jump out at the elderly and attack them during their evacuation through the territory. However, Felipe and Monique had organised escorts to guide the elderly members through the territories on the way to the Spix tribe's ravine, but the concern for the elderly were the least of the two tribes' worries. The next group to escort over to the Spix tribe's ravine were going to be the chicks, parents with unhatched eggs and chicks too young to fly, adolescents and the youngest adults, among them the oldest broods of the leaders and inner circle birds: Benjamin and Regina of Felipe and Pearl, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto of Jupiter and Ruby, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre of Mars and Chiquitita, and Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette of Mercury and Sapphire. The older siblings had also been assigned the task of looking after their younger relatives, among them their younger siblings and cousins. Io and her three siblings had been entrusted with their second brood siblings, Amalthea and Oliver, Alexandre and his brothers with Gabrielle their younger sister and Phoebe and her sisters with their half-cousin, Delores who was the daughter of Monique and Waldo.

Like the rest of Waldo's relatives, Delores had been devastated over her father's capture and torture and often kept wishing her father was present and because Monique had so much on her wings in leadership responsibilities without Waldo, she had difficulties spending time with her so she had been placed in Mercury and Sapphire's care. Now Delores had been entrusted to Phoebe and her sisters by Mercury and Sapphire as the two seconds-in-command trained for the upcoming battle.

The Lear's and red tribes had been very worried for the younger members. Kids and adolescents were more difficult to control than the elderly and they had a greater tendency to wander away from the group than the wiser aged birds. It had been very difficult to convince overprotective parents who had volunteered to go to war to entrust their kids to the young adults who had been barred or had volunteered not to go to war. Monique had been reluctant to entrust Delores in the care of Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette after what happened to Mercury and Sapphire's youngest son Ozzy, the loss of him still lingering over Sapphire and her mate like a faint black cloud but she knew that she had to. And while the younger adults had been glad that they will not be going to war, some of them had quite an opposite desire.

Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan stood with some of the younger adult Lear's and red macaws who will not be going to war, Delores in Phoebe's wings, as more red and Lear's macaws continued to round up the chicks of both tribes. With them were Io, Phobos and all their siblings including their second-brood ones, and Sheldon, Byron and Estelle, Benjamin and Regina. Byron gazed grumpily at the flock of training red and Lear's macaws. he had been one of the macaws who wanted to participate in the battle against the flying foxes but his parents had forbade him for they feared for his safety, especially after what had happened to Athos, and also Io, Europa and eventually Ganymede in the Bluewing Clan's former territory on the night Orquidea and Ruby were taken.

"It's just not fair, my friends," he muttered as Sheldon held a fearful and nervous Io in his wings while Benjamin daydreamed about his green macaw girlfriend Umbriel. "It's just not fair. How is that Mom and Dad are able to go to war and not me!? I'm a skilled fighter, you know."

"And I've fought against foes before when I embarked on a journey to Guyana to find the legendary treasure to save the sanctuary," said Estelle in agreement. She shot Jupiter and Mars as they practiced their fighting skills against each other. Estelle, along with Io (in Sheldon's wings), Europa, Ganymede and Callisto as they watched over Amalthea and Oliver, heard Jupiter shout, "Come on, Mars, put your back into using that stick like how Tito showed us."

The pair of friends then began to engage in a mock stick-fight, clashing their sticks together in an attempt to 'strike' each other and defend themselves. Because it was only a practice fight, Jupiter and Mars were careful to avoid inflicting too-hard strikes on each other. Mars was performing particularly well and was able to block Jupiter's attempts to 'hit' him with his stick with his own. Nearby, Ramon, Sheldon's scarlet father, practiced his agility against a Lear's macaw. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre all gazed at their parents jealously. Phobos and Deimos in particular gazed at their mother Chiquitita as she trained against another Lear's macaw. Despite her unusual size, Chiquitita had persuaded Mars, Felipe and Pearl to allow her to participate in the battle but Felipe and Pearl had been worried that her small size might pose her a disadvantage but after witnessing her in her agility skills, they allowed her to. Chiquitita was indeed fast for her size and because she was so small, only around slightly taller than a chestnut-fronted macaw, she was able to weave in and out of tightly clustered branches. That would definitely make her difficult for a membrane-winged foe measuring twice her height with a much, much bigger wingspan to catch her and it made up for her lack of speed in open air. Then Jasmine moved on.

"I'm surprised that our leaders didn't declare the 'war' to be in the Pit of Games like old times," she told the others, "Surely that would have been a more peaceful way of dealing with this conflict."

"That's not an option, Jasmine," said Ganymede, "You see, those flying foxes are ruthless. One, they had already crossed the line too severely for a Pit of Doom match to be pitted against them by driving out two of the clans; two, they are too violent and would likely slaughter their feathered opponents in the stadium rather than play soccer like we did…"

"So it seems that a massive battle of a lifetime is the only option," said Jasmine in disappointment. The others sadly nodded.

"It seems that Cicatriz hates using peaceful resolutions to conflict," said Europa, "I heard Uncle Felipe talk about that with the other tribe and clan leaders while we were on our way to the Spix tribe's ravine for the meeting."

"Three bird clans or tribes had challenged the flying foxes to a Pit of Doom soccer game and the result was a massive slaughter of the players in the stadium by the bats while more flying foxes overtook their territories," said Callisto, "And that is what we want to avoid."

"Augustus and Melissa noted that to us," said Ganymede.

"It seems that every other option is nothing more than a dead end," said Annette, her eyes on Delores as she snuggled in her wing cradle, "With war being the only solution."

"Exactly, Annette," said Phoebe. Annette and Jasmine just sighed. It was going to be an extremely difficult and nerve-wracking event ahead of them and for everyone. Just then, the group heard a macaw shout, "Alright, Felipe, Monique, the elderly birds are ready to go."

At this, the group of Lear's, scarlet and green-winged macaws all turned their heads and fixed their gazes on the group of oldest tribe members as they began to move. Many macaws said their last-minute goodbyes to the elderly members, something Phoebe, Io, Alexandre and company had done a while ago. Sheldon watched as his paternal scarlet grandparents and green-winged maternal grandparents prepared to leave, the escorts flocking around the group, ready to guide them out of Felipe's tribe's home grove, through the territories and to the Spix tribe's ravine.

"Once that lot is safely in the Spix tribe's ravine, folks," he said, "It'll be our turn."

The others nodded. Then within moments, the group of all the elderly members of the red and Lear's tribes was on the move, their wings flapping at the air as they rose off their perches. Under the guide of the escorts, the group was led like a flock of sheep led by shepherds towards the grove's entrance.

Across the Sanctuary de Amazon, the elderly members of the blue-and-gold, the green, the glaucous, the blue-throated and the hyacinth macaw and the archaeobird tribes and clans, as well as the elderly members of the smaller groups had also left their respective home groves and were being guided by escorts to the Spix tribe's ravine, the elderly of the Spix tribe having already evacuated to the waterfall cave. A huge cloud of nervousness hung over the flocks, and as they passed through the territories on the way to the Spix tribe's ravine, nervous eyes darted this way and that expecting furry creatures with membranous wings and armed with sharp-sticks to jump out at them and attack. Escorts were especially prepared for action should the group encounter any groups of flying foxes. Some carried weapons such as sticks, ready to bludgeon any bats that would dare jump out and attempt to attack the elderly members, some of who were fragile from age. While the elderly was being evacuated, the last of the kids, adolescents, and parents with eggs and young chicks were rounded up. The parents kept their eggs and young chicks very close to them, not wanting any of them to accidentally end up lost or mixed up with the clutches of the other parents, otherwise it would be a total disaster. Eggs and young chicks were being placed in special leaf bags, ready to be carried by the parents or by their closest relatives such as siblings.

 **Meanwhile**

Cicatriz continued watching the flying foxes as they continued practicing their combat skills, the usual fiendish grimace spanning his facial width and single eye burning with glee focussed on them. He continued watching as sharp-sticks were thrown in mock fights and reddish, brown, dark brown, orange and auburn furry forms with black wings sliced through the air as flying foxes practiced their dodging skills against each other. As Cicatriz continued watching his colony members as they continued to train, he felt a spark of confidence flash within him when a pair of flapping membranous wings reached his ears.

"The infiltrators are ready, Cicatriz," came Ratigan's voice as the bat touched down. Cicatriz turned and faced him and two other flying foxes accompanying him.

"Good," he said, "And make sure they're ready to enter those feathered worms' home patches and slaughter whoever has stayed behind once the tribes and clans had left them to fight us which we're going to in a few hours."

"Sir?" asked Ratigan confused.

"There's been a change of plan," said Cicatriz, "I would like to get this over with as soon as possible."

Turning his eyes to the two bats accompanying Ratiga, he commanded, "You two set up a group of messengers with a message to send to those birds to let them know that we have like to have our battle with them at midday, today, and make sure that they get it on the double. Understand?"

The two bats nodded obediently despite having the urge to question Cicatriz's change of decision and dropped from the branches to organise a messenger group.

"Why midday if I might ask?" asked Ratigan. Cicatriz hardened his gaze.

"I'm confident that we'll be able to defeat those good-for-nothing birds and capture their land that has been set up as a nature reserve by humans today," replied he, "Our fighters are trained enough for the fight and I want to get down to the war as soon as possible. Now you go and get the infiltrators ready while I call together our colony with Iracebeth."

Ratigan, now understanding the reason, nodded and leaped off the branch, the flying foxes' way of taking to the air for they could not lift themselves off their perches unlike birds, and flew away to prepare the infiltrator group while Cicatriz left to find Iracebeth.

 **A while later**

In the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous tribe's home grove, the Navyfeather Clan and their glaucous and smaller group co-inhabitants and blue-throated guests, and Andromeda's clan of archaeobirds who had moved to here, had finished the gathering of all their young and parents with eggs and young under-flight aged chicks. The flocks were waiting anxiously for the escorts to return to confirm that the elderly had made it to the Spix tribe's ravine. In the meantime, all the young from each of the three clans, the glaucous tribe and the smaller group birds had been gathered and final checks were being made. Augustus, Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna, together with Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Diantha, Orion and Velocity were also here, having come to assist in the evacuation of the young hyacinth, glaucous and blue-throated macaws, the archaeobirds and smaller bird species to the ravine of the Spix macaws. With the archaeobirds, the bat-bird mounts were also present.

Indigo, Triton, Penelope, Victor, and Trixie, one of the last-surviving Bluewing Clan macaws, stood with Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Aiden and Neytiri, and Spyro, Bellerophon and Pandora, the offspring of Andromeda and Eragon, and Aurelio, Wilbur, Azul and Fernanda, and Hedor, the son of Fedor and Rafflesia the hoatzins. Also present were Violet, the younger sister of Triton and Indigo, Desdemona and Lucy, the younger sisters of Aurelio and his brothers, and Trixie's brothers Matheus and Buddy. The group wore very nervous looks on their faces as they looked at the other young adult macaws, archaeobirds and some other bird species, as well as parents with eggs and young chicks placed in specially designed bags ready to carry to the Spix tribe's ravine. Nearby, macaws and other birds, among them Neptune, Ultramarine, Cobalto and Pluto, continued practicing their fighting skills while more birds flew about doing the final checks of the evacuees, which was thankfully the last group of vulnerable tribe members to be evacuated before the massive war with the flying foxes. Before the group, Falkor the milicinth macaw began to give the young firm instructions of safety and the importance of obedience and not wandering off while Ámbar the lutino blue-and-gold macaw checked the young of the smaller group birds.

Spyro, Bellerophon and Pandora clung timidly onto Indigo, Triton and Charon as they listened to Falkor's commands, fearing separation. During the roundup, the three had lost these macaws and their friends around twice and they did not want to be separated from them again. Triton then gazed around the group and saw dozens and dozens of archaeobirds on bat-birds, among them Andromeda, stand around them.

"They're going to help escort us to the Spix macaws' ravine," whispered Spyro.

"But I thought they were going to go to war with the other birds," said Indigo.

"They will do once they've finished evacuating us," said Charon nearby. Triton and Indigo just sighed and looked around at the other young birds and parents with eggs and young chicks again. Then his eyes turned sadly to his parents, Neptune and Ultramarine as they continued their mock-battle against some glaucous macaws. As he continued shooting gazes around the group, Wilbur gazed into the sky. To his utter dismay, he saw a sea of grey clouds growing and he thought he heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. Soon, that cover will be screening the blue sky and golden sun which had been shining all through the morning.

"Looks like the weather's not very happy with what's coming up either," he murmured. Blueberry, Charon, Aurelio, Azul, Fernanda, Triton and the others with them only looked up at the darkening sky and said nothing. Not too far away, the cockatoos, Diantha, Velocity, Orion and Sebastian and his sisters Stella and Luna perched on a branch, puffing and panting as nervousness bubbled within them.

"Boy, this has to be the most nerve-wracking event since our trip to Guyana to find Jurassic Jungle and the legendary treasure," murmured Velocity, a wing on her forehead. She breathed a tired sigh as she felt her muscles shudder like jelly. Orion then found Sebastian gaze worriedly at the training birds and gathered young.

"Problem?" he asked.

"I think we should head over to the flying foxes' territory and check on the colony," murmured Sebastian, "I have a bad feeling about this."

As the others picked up these words, disbelief and horror tore through them.

"What are you _crazy!?"_ snapped Rosa, her crest raised, "We could end up killed if we're caught!"

"Especially after what me and Serena faced in the former Bluewing Clan's territory," put in Clemont. He sighed as he gazed at the healed scratch on his stomach where Voldemort had struck him. Sebastian turned his gaze to the birds and his younger sisters.

"Look, we don't know if those flying foxes have formulated a plan behind you feathered friends' backs," he said firmly, "and I would like to find out to make sure…"

"You parents are gonna go bonkers if you go back over there," said Velocity. Sebastian nodded, aware of this risk, but the determined look never left his face.

"Let's coat ourselves in mud and fly over to the colony's territory and check on those bats," he said, "The sooner we do this, the better."

At this, the others exchanged glances. None of them dare make the decision to go along with this crazy idea at first but soon, Orion stepped forward, knowing that Sebastian's idea might have a method behind the madness.

"I'll go," he said firmly.

"What!?" shouted Velocity.

"No!" said Clemont. Orion shot the two an adamant look.

"Look, we are having an important role in this war," he said, "And I want to make the most of it. I'm determined to go over to the flying foxes' territory to pick up some important information our allies might need to know."

Velocity and Clemont gazed at each other and back at the falcon. Then Velocity stepped forward.

"Then I'll go," she said firmly, "There's no way I'm gonna allow my older brother to run into danger again like last time."

"Hey, I am mature, you know," snapped Orion irritably. Then Milo stepped forward, followed by Diantha, having agreed to go along with the falcons and Sebastian. However, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Stella and Luna stayed behind.

"We'll help out with the evacuees," said Serena, "I think we've run into enough trouble with those bats already."

Eustace, Clemont and Rosa nodded in agreement and Rosa's wing went to the right side of her head where one of the flying foxes had whacked her the other day. She did not want to risk getting seriously injured again. Then as soon as the groups had made their decisions, Sebastian said, "We'll not be long. We've just got to sneak into the flying foxes' territory and spy on them. We'll see you guys when we get back." 'If we make it back', thought he as uncertainty gnawed at him.

"Right, you guys be careful out there, especially you, Orion," said Eustace firmly. Orion breathed an irritated sigh.

"Everything think's I'm a chick these days," he muttered. "I'm sick of it!"

"We're all concerned for you," said Diantha. Orion just rolled his eyes. As he did this, Stella and Luna locked their older brother in a hug while Milo and Diantha hugged Eustace, Rosa, Clemont and Serena.

"I hope you make it back safely, bro," cried Stella. Sebastian wrapped his membranous wings around her and Luna and brought them close to his face. Then after a while, the group broke their hugs and Sebastian's group turned and left.

"If our parents or any of the others ask, tell them that we've gone to do some spying, okay?" shouted Sebastian as he disappeared into the trees, along with Velocity, Orion, Milo and Diantha. Eustace and the others shouted in reply and left to finish helping the evacuees prepare for their evacuation. During this, someone came into the grove, shouting, "The elderly have all made it to the Spix tribe's ravine and are safe."

At this, all eyes turned to the lookout group and escorts as they returned and sighs of relief were breathed. However, that relief did not last long for they still had another group to send to the Spix tribe's ravine.

Falkor had only just finished giving his instructions to the young birds when suddenly; he heard the sounds of frantic wing flaps. Triton, Indigo, Penelope, Trixie and Victor gazed at the military/hyacinth hybrid surprise as he glared at the source of the sound. Spyro, Charon, Aurelio and their siblings and friends also saw Falkor glare at something and then follow his gaze. To their surprise, they saw a large aged, hyacinth macaw, the only one who had stayed behind to assist in the gathering of the young, fly in as though he had just escaped a predator and perch clumsily onto a branch above them. The branch shook under his weight as several other macaws followed him, one of them carrying a large leaf, which the group assumed was a written message.

"Have you seen the look on Flavio's face?" asked Trixie, "He looked so upset and flustered."

"Don't tell me something's happened," asked Spyro as he held Bellerophon and Pandora and flashed a glance at Hedor the young hoatzin. But nothing could prepare the group for what happened next.

"EVERYONE, GET THOSE CHICKS AND YOUNG OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW AND PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" Flavio's voice boomed from, his perch and echoed loudly throughout the Navyfeather Clan's home grove. The shout bolted all the fighters into listening to him and made the insides of Triton's group jolt. Falkor also jumped off his perch as the shout coursed through him. Driven by panic, he abandoned his perch and flapped over to Flavio. It was then that Triton heard Augustus and Melissa's voices shout.

"What!? Our son's disappeared!?" Augustus bellowed. At this, Triton and Indigo snapped their gaze to the flying fox and his mate as several cockatoos and two small white flying foxes hovered before them. Augustus and Melissa's fur were bristled from panic and they looked outraged. However, the two bats turned and flew over to the evacuee group with Eustace's group in tow as Flavio took off from his perch and barked orders to the escorts to get the evacuees moving. It was then that Triton's group felt the crowd move.

"Looks like we're leaving right now," said Charon. At this, Spyro clung firmly onto his younger siblings and Hedor and hopped onto his bat-bird, commanding it into flight while Wilbur and Aurelio held firmly onto Desdemona and Lucy and Indigo onto Violet and Buddy onto Matheus. Soon the mixed flock of various species was moving while the fighters set off to prepare for battle. Charon looked up and saw Pluto disappear with the other glaucous macaws eligible for war as Andromeda's voice rang out to the evacuees, "Hurry, everyone, keep together and DON'T WANDER OFF!"

Somewhere in the crowd, Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Luna, and Eustace, Rosa, Clemont and Serena were assisting some archaeobird parents in carrying their young chicks and eggs. Charon, together with Triton and Indigo, and also Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Wilbur, Aurelio and Azul, all shuddered. The situation with the flying fox threat has reached critical, and Cicatriz was planning on beginning his reign of tyranny as soon as possible. As fear and worry gripped them, Charon and company moved with the other chicks, adolescents, young adults and parents with eggs and young chicks were herded by their escorts towards the entrance to the Navyfeather Clan's home grove, and in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35- the battle begins**

Across the Sanctuary de Amazon, the other tribes, clans and smaller groups had immediately started evacuating the young groups while the fighters also set off to prepare for war and soon, the younger members and parents with young chicks and eggs of all the flocks except the Spix macaws were moving through the Sanctuary de Amazon, all converging towards the Spix tribe's ravine. On the way, Melissa had left to meet a secret organisation and request their help. The secret organisation had been met by Diantha and Jupiter with Melissa yesterday and had discussed some important things with them. Whoever this organisation was remained a secret known only by Melissa, Augustus, Jupiter and Diantha…

 **Later**

While the evacuation of the young was underway, Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha, all coated in mud with bits of vegetation to camouflage them better against the drabber environment of green vegetation and dark brown to black bark and soil, had flown all the way from the Navyfeather Clan's territory to the heart of the flying foxes' territory. The sky in the substance had begun to darken as rainclouds continued to gather and coalesce; indicating the sign of a thunderstorm and soon, the sheet of storm clouds will eventually swallow up the blue sky and the sun. On the way, the two falcons, the young flying fox, the cockatoo and the toucan's ears had begun to pick up the sounds of chanting and dancing. The five had traced the sounds to their source, the flying fox colony until it melted into sight. As soon as they were near the colony, the five immediately dived into a hiding spot, a large cluster of leaves, and looked out at the crowd of dancing bats.

Orion, Velocity, Diantha and Milo watched the scene before them with immense horror and shock while Sebastian looked on with an expressionless face for he had seen this once before, when he had been a young pup that had just learned to fly. The air before the five was filled with dancing black and red furry creatures, their black membranous wings sweeping out to the sides and swishing like cloaks in the air. Below the creatures, weapons such as sharp-sticks were clutched in the foot claws, the colourful collection of feathers dancing wildly as the weapons were jolted up and down. The flying foxes had painted themselves with a body décor that none of the four birds accompanying Sebastian had ever seen; much less know that the colony had their own dance, but the body décor donned by the bats made their skins crawl and their nerves shudder.

"This is the flying fox colony's dance," whispered Sebastian, explaining the horrible scenery, "They perform it whenever they are preparing for battle or have successfully driven out a large bird tribe."

"This is far darker than any of the bird tribes and clans' dances back in the Sanctuary de Amazon, that's for sure," murmured Orion.

"Just look at their choice of body décor and how they had painted themselves," said Velocity in a low voice. She, Milo, Orion and Diantha shuddered as they continued to observe the choice of body paint and colours the flying foxes wore as they danced and chanted. Their entire bodies were coated in pitch-black war paint, as black as Diantha's plumage under her suit of mud but without the beautiful aspect to it but then Velocity, Milo, Orion and Diantha noticed some flashes of bright red on the faces, the bodies and the wings of the flying foxes as they danced. Red fruit paint had been applied around the eyes such that each eye was enclosed in a red patch like how Blu's eye patches enclosed his eyes. However, the four birds noticed that many of the flying foxes had painted streaks extending from below the eyes and down the cheeks. The streaks were painted in such a way that they resembled drips of blood oozing from the flying foxes' eyes. More red streaks were painted on the chests and stomachs of the bats, the most common pattern being a single vertical line down the middle of their chests with slightly curved, diagonal lines emanating from that central line and towards the bats' wings. This arrangement gave the bats' bodies the appearance of having a blood-red ribcage with a sternum. On the wings, red streaks painted in the flying foxes' wing fingers and some of the flying foxes had even painted their feet with more red to give them the appearance of being covered in blood like from a kill. The flying foxes thus resembled flying shadows with streaks of blood painted over them. No wonder the blue-throated macaws and the surviving Bluewing Clan hyacinth macaws had been so utterly frightened that night when the flying foxes had driven them out of their home for the flying foxes had donned the same décor as war paint as well as for their colony dance, and based on the eyewitness accounts of the glaucous macaw tribe and the survivors from the previous clans that had been driven out years before, such as the red-fronted macaws, the flying foxes had also used this body décor as they drove them out of their original homes as well. Sebastian and his friends continued watching.

"This is certainly not one bit like the Spix tribe's dance, where the male blue macaws wear red fruit paint over parts of their faces and the females, yellow pollen on parts of their faces and wingtips for added beauty, I can tell you," whispered Milo.

"Nor the brightly coloured body paint the archaeobirds don when they do their clan dance," said Diantha in a low voice.

"Well the body décor of the bird tribes and clans are supposed to make them more beautiful during their special dances," said Velocity, "But here, it seems that the flying foxes had intended their body décor to be far darker and more frightening than any bird tribe or clan's body décor during their dances…"

As she said this, Milo's eyes travelled to some branches. More war-paint donning flying foxes were sat on those branches, playing some sort of instruments, such as drums and stringed instruments made from leaves, hollowed out logs and sticks and vines. This was similar to the instruments the archaeobirds played when they danced, but the flying foxes' music beat had a far darker theme to it like their body paint and dancing style. The flying foxes were chanting rhythmic, wordless sounds, similar to how humans would beatbox. It appeared that this was purely an instrumental and sound part of the song but Sebastian had noted to Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha that the dance did have lyrics. Then a familiar figure emerged from a tree hollow and took to the air. Her painted blood red markings looked the most terrifying and more elaborately painted to show her rank in the colony. In fact this flying fox had painted her red marks in such a way that she almost resembled a flying fox skeleton with red bones, though like every other flying fox that danced, her eyes were enclosed in a ring of red fruit paint with drips below it.

"That's Iracebeth, my aunt," whispered Sebastian. He hissed this sentence with pure malice. Milo, Velocity, Orion and Diantha watched the bat as she joined in the dance. Iracebeth smiled evilly such that her teeth showed through her mouth. Then she began to sing the lyrical part of the colony's song in Brazilian Portuguese as she danced in the middle of the other bats who chanted along with her and flapped in concentric circles around her. Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha translated the words to English in their minds, having been taught the language by their parents as they grew up but when they did, extreme horror tore through them. Diantha managed to stifle a scream while Velocity swayed as though she were about to faint. Milo withdrew himself and covered his ears, his stomach lurching inside him to the point of inducing nausea while Orion and Sebastian winced in indescribable disgust. The content of the lyrics coming out of Iracebeth and the other bats' mouths were extremely anti-bird and very disturbing and graphic, and the bats were singing about all kinds of gruesome things they would like to do to their feathered enemies, things that were too gruesome to describe. Their sharp-sticks and other weapons held in their feet darted out and swung around as though stabbing, slashing or bludgeoning an opponent while some other bats elaborately spun round, their membranous wings with red streaks painted on them sweeping out like cloaks.

"What _ghastly_ content!" hissed Orion with his wings placed firmly on his ears to block out the vomit-like words. Nearby, Diantha had begun to lose control of her breathing and hyperventilate, the disgusting words from the bats setting her on complete edge. Velocity reached out a wing to try and calm her down while Milo felt his stomach contents begin to rise in his throat. His beak flew to his mouth and his cheeks bulged out. Eventually, he was forced to dart off somewhere to eject the most recent meal he had eaten from his stomach somewhere. The flying foxes continued chanting their horrible, anti-bird lyrics and dancing until finally, everything stopped abruptly. Sebastian, Orion and Velocity slowly peered out of their hiding place as the flying foxes gathered round a certain hollow as a certain figure emerged from the hollow. Diantha continued hyperventilating quietly while Milo sat bent over in a nearby tree, being sick. Sebastian flashed a concerned and worried glance at the two and hoped that the flying foxes hadn't heard their presence. However, his gazed turned to his paternal uncle as he took his stand before the group of hovering bats.

Cicatriz stood tall and boldly. Like every other flying fox, his entire body apart from his wings was coated in jet-black body paint with red streaks sinisterly decorating his face and front. Each of his eyes was surrounded by a ring of red fruit paint with streaks of red streaking from below his eyes and running down his cheeks. Cicatriz had also painted red around his muzzle and his body stripes very greatly resembled the skeletal structure of his ribs and sternum, and his feet were painted to be completely red. His wings also had red streaks on them, intended to paint in his wing fingers. In one wing his mace like weapon was held. As he stood before the crowd of hovering bats, his only functioning eye, his left eye and his clouded, blind right eye slid wickedly over the crowd. Velocity and Orion gazed at the colony patriarch and shuddered as his teeth showed wickedly through his smile. Diantha had managed to calm down while Milo had managed to stop throwing up. Hoverer his face still looked flushed and pale, his face washed with the guilt and the wish that he had never come. Then the toucan and cockatoo turned and gazed at Cicatriz as he addressed the crowd. Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha had never seen Cicatriz in the flesh before but they knew that it was him because he was the leader after all. Sebastian gazed bitterly at his paternal uncle as he addressed the crowd.

"My colony," said Cicatriz, his wings spread out, one of them clutching his weapon, the feathers he had harvested from his previous kills hanging elegantly from one end, "Today… is the day that will mark a new era… a day that will be a massive milestone in the history of our colony…"

Claps of membranous wings sounded as the flying foxes applauded, before the air fell silent. Cicatriz's wicked smile stretched so wide that it spanned from cheek to cheek as Iracebeth fluttered over to him and joined his side. Milo then examined the crowd of flying foxes and noticed that some of them wore uncertain looks on their faces.

"This is what our mother and father have wanted us to do when they led the colony before me and Iracebeth," Cicatriz continued, "We may have made a temporary truce with those feathered worms but that truce was just a ruse. It was only to buy us time to come up with a plan to drive out those good-for-nothing flying disasters and take their lands…"

Orion and Velocity winced in revulsion as did Diantha and Milo.

"The truce the flying foxes made with the tribes and clans was a mere ruse…?" began Orion quietly but Sebastian hushed at him to be quiet.

"But now that we finally have the plan to drive out those worthless feathered rodents," said Cicatriz, "Especially now that we know of their habitats and why their land has not seen logging activity for so long, it is time to achieve our goal…"

He then narrowed his eyes and spoke in a softer voice.

"Imagine this," he hissed, "Imagine living in a ravine with a large pool in the bottom, a waterfall at one end, and water lilies in the pool. It would be great for our pups to skate on…"

Some mothers who had young pups, among them Iracebeth, smiled at the thought of their pups doing that in the Spix macaws' ravine. From their hollow, Iago and Veruca tittered excitedly.

"But that's not all," continued Cicatriz, "There are several other groves and another ravine of choice for you all to live in. the other ravine has holes in one of its cliff faces and a grove of but trees growing within it. If you love nuts, then that is the place for you…"

More smiles and titters rolled through the flying fox crowd. Cicatriz then smiled more and let loose a brief laugh.

"But all in all, those territories are protected reserves from logging and poaching, perfect for us," he crooned, "And besides that, what does a bunch of worthless flying disasters with feathers like those worms deserve to live in such a sanctuary, a safe haven from all the disasters they cause us? They don't deserve anything like that at all!"

Laughs rolled through the flying fox crowd and Iracebeth let loose a scornful titter. Diantha, Milo, Velocity and Orion winced in revulsion.

"There are some parts of the Sanctuary de Amazon that aren't owned by ant of the tribes and clans…" whispered Milo. However, he knew that it was already too late to convince Cicatriz and his colony of this fact and that the deranged patriarch and his mate had already made their decision and had gone beyond the point of no return. Besides that, the majority of the flying foxes were too consumed by greed for land for them to turn back now.

"Their REAL place is in the areas where logging and poaching are more frequent," continued Cicatriz scornfully, "That is, outside the protected reserve. THAT is where all those good-for-nothing feather-balls should live; with the disasters they have caused us all in the past for generations..."

"The colony living in a protected reserve will still be prone to natural disasters like drought," whispered Diantha.

"And while those feather-balls are out there suffering the consequences of all the troubles they have caused us," called Cicatriz, his voice raising as the excitement fuelled its fire, "WE and our DESCENDANTS… WILL BE LIVING IN THE SANCTUARY… PROTECTED FROM LOGGING AND POACHING… for EVEEEEERRR!"

The air above the flying foxes erupted into an uproarious cheer and many of them began to flap and whoop excitedly. However, some of the flying foxes, including some parents with young pups, did not look as excited. Orion and Velocity could see that their faces were laced with uncertainty of the upcoming battle. 'That is just the exact same look Augustus and Melissa bore according to some of the witnesses before they showed their allegiance to the birds,' thought Orion in surprise. Sebastian, Milo and Diantha, however, kept their eyes on Cicatriz as Iracebeth wrapped her wings around him and kissed him. Then after Iracebeth broke the hug with her mate, Cicatriz called out to a certain flying fox.

"Ratigan," he called. One of the bats stepped forward from the crowd. Like every other adolescent and adult flying fox, his entire body was coated with black war paint with red streaks around his eyes, on his cheeks, his chest and belly and his wings.

"Call together your infiltrator group," commanded Cicatriz, "and take them into the Sanctuary de Amazon. There, split yourselves into smaller groups, spread out and search for the remaining birds of the tribes and clans and smaller groups and slaughter them while the rest of us deal with the upcoming war."

Orion and Velocity felt their hearts leap into their throats while Diantha and Milo stifled the urge to whimper. Sebastian also drew in a silent gasp.

"We'd better do something to stall those infiltrators," whispered Sebastian. "If they find all those chicks…"

He trailed off, not wanting to mention the result. Then as the five saw Ratigan fly off to call the infiltrator bats, who gathered round him before the whole lot took off for the Sanctuary de Amazon to begin their evil work, Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha darted from their hiding place and began to follow Ratigan's group. As the five left, the sounds of countless flapping membrane wings beat the air as the rest of the flying foxes took to the air to a specific destination where the fight against the birds will take place…

 **Sometime later**

Blu, Jewel, Felipe, Pearl, Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus stood at the front of the huge sea of birds with Mercury, Sapphire, Monique, Mars, Chiquitita, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Ultramarine, Pluto, Cobalto and the other tribe and clan leaders, Soleado and Zoie of the blue-and-golds, Alonso and Verde of the green macaws, Rudi and Valeria of the glaucous macaws, Violeta, Marinho and Flavio of the hyacinth macaws and Reynaldo and Anita of the blue-throated macaws flanking them, ready for battle. Behind the leaders, a large sea of colourful birds of a variety of species of macaws, parakeets, toucans and more stood perched on a vast area of trees. The fight was destined to take place near the Pit of Games, the crater in which the Amazon Soccer League was supposed to have taken place but had been cancelled due to the flying fox problem. the larger species of macaws stood in the main crowd and will be in charge of the close combat with the flying foxes while the smaller, more vulnerable birds, among them the smaller macaw species such as the chestnut-fronted macaws, the blue-headed macaws and the golden parakeets, were going to deal with long-range attacks such as firing stones at the bats from a distance. Among this crowd of small birds were the relatives of Citrine, Caspian, Alessandro, Rhiannon, Kiawe and Mariposa such as the latter's parents Jairo and Skyla. Mariposa and the others had been sent to the safety of the Spix macaws' ravine until the war was over.

The majority of birds were armed with sticks and branches and some other natural weapons they had laid their talons on while those that were going to attack from a distance were armed with slingshots made from y-shaped sticks with elastic vines. Stones and fruit shells lay in piles by the shooters as they prepared for action. As the leaders stood at the front, Venus nervously interlocked her wing with Zephyr's, her other wing clutching a branch and shuddered. Ahead of the sea of colourful feathers, one of the toucans, a yellow-ridged bird, was flying in the air to determine the size of the birds' enemy army, the flying foxes. Above the toucan, the sky continued to darken, a massive sea of dark grey clouds creeping across the blue canvas and slowly eating it away. However, it would be a few hours until they released their contents, rain onto the forest below.

While the toucan continued examining the flying fox army, Blu gazed at the other leaders.

"This is it, everyone," he murmured nervously, "Here comes the fight of our lifetime. No turning back now."

"Absolutely not!" snapped Felipe with determination. He could not wait to sink his claws and beak into flying fox flesh, especially to avenge what they had done to his son Alfonso and his sister-in-law Ruby and the other prisoners. Jewel also nodded in agreement as Violeta, the former leader of the shattered Bluewing Clan, flew to the front of the crowd to give out instructions.

"Right, everyone, listen up!" she called. All ears turned to her as she began to explain. Mercury and Mars gazed at each other.

"This is going to be the biggest war in the history of the entire Amazon," Violeta shouted, "And this is a war we cannot afford to lose. We all must help each other and not try to fight multiple bats alone or we'd be seriously injured for those flying foxes are extremely wily and cunning and are excellent with their lethal weapons," her gaze then hardened, "Those bats have totally crossed the line in more ways than one. They have driven out so many bird tribes and clans… taken their homes and leaving those poor birds to suffer the aftereffects of their siege… intruded into our territories… lied to us, stolen away some of us against their wills and forced them into giving information about our precious homes, and now they will stop at nothing to take it, but WE will NOT SURRENDER OUR HOMES without a FIGHT to the DEATH…"

This word sent shivers down Venus's spine but Zephyr nodded to her that this will have to be the case. Pluto also shuddered but Rudi comforted him. Then Alonso fluttered up to continue Violeta's speech.

"Those flying foxes may have wings and the ability to fly like us birds," he shouted, "But they have absolutely NO friends whatsoever, except those that have sacrificed even their very lives to help keep so many birds safe from the deranged colony, such as Melissa's cousin Lily…"

Jupiter smiled as Alonso said the name of that brave flying fox. Mars and Saturn shot him a surprised look.

"Those flying foxes are entirely by themselves while we are united!" barked Alonso. "We have survived and have fought against a LOT of things throughout the past few years… we have survived and have battled against intrusions from poachers… fought against loggers who threatened to destroy our homes… dealt with drought and food shortages… two fires… and conflicts with each other," he nodded to the Lear's macaws as he said this who nodded in agreement, "And even our near-loss of our homes' status as a protected reserve…"

"And because of that," continued Violeta, "We will be fighting against a colony of DERANGED, LAND-GRABBING BATS for our HOMES! WE MUST NOT GIVE UP!"

The sea of birds all cheered. Then Blu flew up and shouted an effective call of, "Remember! Birds of blue, red, orange, yellow, brown, green, navy blue, grey, black, white, pink and various metallic colours…"

"…HAVE TO STICK TOGETHEEEEERRR!" bellowed the bird crowd. Then after this, Violeta, Alonso and Blu returned to their positions as the birds cheered and prepared for battle. Roberto placed a wing on Blu's back.

"That's exactly right, buddy," he said.

"Just like how we dealt with those loggers and poachers," said Felipe.

"That line of yours certainly has got some kick to it," said Jewel. Blu smiled and then turned to face the flying foxes. A short time later, the sounds of evil chanting reached the ears of the birds. During this, the yellow-ridged toucan scout returned to deliver the report on the flying fox army. As he touched down between Blu, Jewel and Felipe, Pearl and Jupiter, he said, "The flying fox army is as honestly as black as smoke from a fire. I had never seen such _horrible_ body décor in my entire life."

"How big is the army?" asked Felipe.

"I hadn't had time to make an estimate," replied the toucan, "But from a distance, those bats resemble a black mass."

"Are you meaning to say…" began Cobalto as a horrible feeling bubbled within him. He and every other blue-throated macaw and the members of Violeta's shattered clan knew what the flying foxes had looked like during the night of their siege on their homes and dreaded to see those flying foxes in the same body décor. It was then that one of the larger, muscular flying foxes emerged from the treeline. His entire body was coated with black fruit paint with red streaking around his eyes, down his cheeks, on his body and his wings. The large bat grinned evilly at the sea of colourful feathers and raised his mace-like weapon decorated with a cluster of colourful feathers on one end and released a howl. Then he turned round and beckoned the other bats behind him. Then within moments, the black mass the yellow ridged toucan had seen came within view. Venus clung onto Zephyr while Brisa clung onto Roberto. Blu and Jewel looked on in horror while Mercury, Sapphire, Monique, Pearl, Felipe, Jupiter, Mars, Chiquitita, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Ultramarine, Cobalto, Pluto and the other leaders swallowed hard or shuddered.

All the flying foxes, like the first muscular bat, had coated themselves with pure black fruit paint with bright blood-red fruit paint around their eyes and on their bodies and wings. The streaks running from below the red rims the flying foxes had applied around their eyes made them look like they were weeping blood while the striped markings on their torsos resembled a blood-red ribcage. The red streaks on their wings resembled the skeletal structure of their wing fingers. The flying foxes, all chanting evil, anti-bird and gruesome lyrics, continued to make their appearance, their various weapons such as sharp-sticks also decorated with clusters of feathers taken from their kills, clutched in their wings and feet. The bats held their weapons above their heads and bobbed them up and down in a threatening manner. However, the sea of birds, despite the shock from the bats' body décor, stood their ground. In the shooter group, Skyla and Jairo gazed at the bats in utter shock. Pluto backed away slightly.

"This was what Ceres and Lapis Lazuli were talking about," he murmured.

"They honestly look like flying things from a horror movie," said Ultramarine in a hushed voice. Behind her, some of the blue-throated macaws shuddered as memories of the flying foxes' siege on their home flashed in their minds. More birds then began to whisper to each other about the flying foxes' choice of body décor. Right at the front of the flying fox crowd, Iracebeth, her pelage completely cloaked by a suit of pure black with blood-red streaks and stripes, gazed sadistically and scornfully at the sea of birds. Then within moments, the flying foxes fell silent such that silence hung over both opposing crowds. Jewel then nodded to Blu who then boldly fixed his gaze on the crowd of flying foxes despite their terrifying appearance, raised his stick in defiance to show the bats that they weren't afraid. Then shouts erupted from many of the birds in the army. Iracebeth just smiled wickedly.

"Those feathered slugs' defiance won't get them anywhere, except towards an enormous, bloody massacre," she crooned as she looked forward to seeing vast amounts of blood and falling feathered bodies. And with that, she screeched a shout to some of the bats to charge forward. Then without hesitation, some of the flying foxes, high-pitched war cries screeching from their mouths surged past Iracebeth and the inner-circle bats and charged towards the bird crowd in a first wave. During this, some of the bats at the back of the crowd sneaked away, not wanting to participate in the imminent battle about to start. The crowd of macaws stood their ground as the first wave of their furred and membrane winged enemies rushed towards them. As the bats charged, sharp-sticks were positioned ready to impale any feathered opponent while other weapons, such as mace-like ones with balls of porcupine spines stuck in one end using cement-like mud, were poised and prepared to bludgeon their owners' feathered victims.

Still the macaws and other birds stood their ground. Then Felipe rose up and with a loud squawk, he called out to a certain group of scarlet and green-winged macaws. Within moments, red birds with blue or teal, green or yellow wings emerged from the crowd of macaws and took to the sky above the battlefield. Blu pointed his stick at the charging first wave of bats while Alonso and Verde shouted to the red macaws, "Go, go, go!"

The bats continued charging towards the macaws when one of the muscular males saw dozens of red forms fly towards them.

"Everyone, look OUT ABOVE!" he screeched. At this, the other bats looked up and also saw the incoming red macaws. The group of scarlet and green-winged macaws continued to fly on, their talons grasping Brazil nuts. Felipe had had the idea of using Brazil nuts as a weapon against the flying foxes and before the red tribe's departure to the battlefield; many of the macaws had picked some of these heavy nuts and carried them off. Now those Brazil nuts were ready to be dropped as bombs onto the charging bats. As soon as they were above the first wave of bats, one of the scarlet macaws, Sheldon's father Ramon, gave the signal to release the airstrike.

"Alright, Brazil nuts AWAY!" he called and within moments, Brazil nuts were released from their carriers' talons and were sent plummeting towards the bats. Screeches of extreme agony erupted as bats were fatally struck hard by the falling shelled bombs. Other bats, screeching in fright, frantically tried dodging the falling Brazil nuts. Then the bats tried viciously attacking the marauding red macaws with their weapons but the red macaws dodged and screeched back at the bats. More Brazil nuts continued to fall from scarlet and green-winged macaw talons and slam into more bats. Iracebeth and the other flying foxes looked on in immense shock at the carnage before them as flying fox screeches of agony and fright reached their ears. Then one green-winged macaw, Sheldon's mother Dani, a Brazil-nut in her talons, swooped down in a corkscrew towards a large muscular bat and released her bomb, sending it careening towards the bat and hitting him square in the back of the neck, killing him instantly. Then after finishing the airstrike, the red macaws returned to the macaw crowd. After this, Blu prepared to lead the macaws into battle.

"Ready for this, Roberto and Jewel?" he asked.

"Absolutely," said Roberto fiercely.

"When you are," said Jewel. Zephyr, Brisa and Venus gazed back at Blu with determined looks on their faces. Blu then turned to Felipe and the other leaders.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," snapped Felipe impatiently, "Just take us in, already!"

"I'm ready to fight to the DEATH!" snarled Soleado fiercely. Saturn and Zoie looked on in agreement.

"Those flying foxes will pay for the troubles they have caused us," snarled Alonso. Uranus, Neptune, Ultramarine and Pluto also looked on as did Mercury, Sapphire, Mars, Chiquitita, Pearl and Jupiter. Then Blu turned and faced the crowd of bats.

"For the SANCTUARY… de AMAZOOOOOON!" he screeched at the top of his lungs and with that, he and the leaders rocketed off, screeching battle cries. The cascading effect travelled throughout the macaw crowd and all the macaws launched into a battle charge, the smaller group birds looking on.

"Here we go," cried Skyla as she clutched her slingshot. Before the macaw crowd, the last surviving first wave of bats let loose battle cries and continued charging towards the macaws while Iracebeth's wave behind them also charged. And within moments, both waves, one made up of colourful feathers of various colours, and of talons and beaks and the other of fur painted with black and red war paint and membranous wings, surged towards each other. Everything then appeared to slow down as the waves got closer and closer. Blu, Jewel, Zephyr and Venus and the other macaws in the front lowered their sticks and aimed them like spears of jousting sticks at the bats while the sharp-stick armed flying foxes pointed their sticks at the birds. Then a few more minutes later, the two waves collided. The Amazon air was shattered by a violent eruption of screeches of rage, agony and terror from various macaw species (Spix, green-winged, scarlet, great green, military, hyacinth, glaucous, blue-throated, blue-and-gold and Lear's) and the flying foxes, accompanied by the clashing of weapons as the birds and bats began fighting. Macaw talons and beaks slashed over flying fox flesh and tore out flying fox fur while flying fox foot claws raked over macaw skin and teeth tore out macaw feathers. Drops of blood, feathers of various colours and flying fox fur also flew everywhere and various weapons clashed wildly.

Blu, his stick in talon, surged towards a black and red bat and swung his stick at him. His weapon was well time for the bat had no time to raise his stick and block it and Blu heard the sounds of his enemy screeching in pain as his stick struck him in the face. The flying fox, dazed, flapped clumsily away, dropped his stick and held his face in his wings. Blu then surged in again to whack the bat a second time but felt his stick freeze. At this, he gazed at whoever had grabbed his stick and found himself face-to-face with a large muscular bat twice his size and stature clinging onto his stick with his foot claws. Blu, at this, emitted a startled shriek when suddenly, agonised screeches exploded from the muscular bat's mouth. The bat rocketed into the air, revealing Reynaldo with his talons covered in blood. He had just slashed the bat down his back to rescue Blu.

"Thanks, Reynaldo," said Blu. Reynaldo nodded and flew off to attack another bat. Nearby, Venus and Zephyr were working together in attacking more bats with their sticks when suddenly; Mercury's voice rang out, "Look OUT!"

At this, both Spix macaws turned and saw a flying fox swoop down at them, its sharp-stick's tip aimed for Zephyr's chest. At this, Zephyr prepared to defend himself with his branch when a navy blue and teal blur shot in and tackled right into the flying fox. Mercury then began to wrestle with the flying fox for its weapon; his talons wrapped fiercely around the sharp-stick. Then after another few frantic seconds of wrestling, the flying fox yanked the sharp-stick out of Mercury's talons and prepared to impale him through the stomach with it.

"Look out, Mercury!" cried Venus and went to defend him.

"Venus, NO!" cried Zephyr. Too late. Venus had already jumped onto the flying fox's back and had begun to score her claws down it. The flying fox screeched in agony as Venus then clamped her beak on its head hair. Mercury and Zephyr then joined in the fray in savagely attacking the flying fox. Nearby, Roberto and Brisa were whacking their weapons at more bats with Sapphire and Monique helping nearby. Sapphire also kicked out her talons while Monique lashed her head out at more bats to kick and headbutt them respectively. One bat suffered a blow to its muzzle from Monique's rock-hard beak, which made it drop its mace-like weapon and retreat to a tree, its nose beginning to ooze red liquid.

"That's what you GET for messing with us, you flying dog-faced furballs!" snarled Monique. Nearby, Sapphire was engaging another flying fox in a vicious swordfight-like duel, their sticks clashing like swords. The two's eyes glared daggers into each other as their owners struggled against each other until Sapphire forced her furred opponent back. Then without hesitation, Sapphire raised her talons and slashed her claws over the flying fox's face as it attempted to stab her with its sharp-stick. However, this did not deter the flying fox and it recovered from the attack and rushed towards Sapphire again, determined to slaughter the Lear's macaw. However, Sapphire, with a well-timed swing of her stick, struck the bat down, hitting it in the wing. The bat released an ear-piercing screech of agony and fell towards the canopy below.

"Take THAT, you furred barbarian," gloated Sapphire when suddenly, searing pain shot through her head as something pulled hard on her woman hair-like head feathers. At this, the Lear's macaw began to screechy loudly as a pair of adolescent flying foxes had grabbed hold of her long head feathers. Mercury saw this and charged at the two bats, bashing into them and tackling them away from Sapphire. Sapphire shot Mercury a thankful glance who nodded in approval and began to engage the two adolescent bats in a stick-fight while Sapphire flew off to help a group of blue-throated and hyacinth macaws deal with some more flying foxes.

Felipe and Pearl and some other scarlet, green-winged and Spix macaws herded a group of mace-like weapon armed flying foxes against a tree and began to savagely attack them, Felipe's eyes burning with the most thunderous, fiery look yet as he mercilessly raked his claws of the faces of his furred enemies. While Felipe's group attacked these flying foxes, Jupiter, Mars and Chiquitita were fighting more bats. Mars and Jupiter swung their sticks at one incoming bat after another while Chiquitita darted in and out of a cluster of interlocking branches, using her small size to her advantage in outrunning three bats that were twice her size. The three bats, all armed with sharp-sticks and one with a flail-like porcupine spike ball attached to its sharp-stick via a vine piece, stopped and looked around at the cluster of branches confused when they lost Chiquitita. As they did that, Chiquitita sneaked round under them and moved to a position behind them. Then as soon as she was ready, she leaped upon the bats, her stick poised to strike them down.

"SURPRISE!" she squawked and before the three bats could act; Chiquitita's stick hit home on all three of them. The three bats, dazed and stunned by Chiquitita's surprise attack, fell towards the canopy. Mars flashed an admiring glance at his small mate, impressed by her stealth while Jupiter looked on, surprised.

"Since when did Chiquitita learn to sneak up on her enemies and surprise them like that?" he asked.

"Well, I think it's very surprising… and very awesome," said Mars with a smile, "Even though she's only half your size, she is not to be underestimated."

Jupiter just smiled and resumed fighting more flying foxes while Mars flew over to Chiquitita as more flying foxes surrounded her.

Felipe's group continued to mercilessly batter the bats when suddenly, a black and red blur swooped in and grabbed onto Felipe's wing. Felipe cried in surprise but then he found himself spinning faster, and faster, one of the flying foxes clinging hard onto his wing, its face twisted into one of immense effort. As the bat and Felipe spun faster and faster still, Saturn flew in and gasped. This was the same method one of the flying foxes had executed on Rhea and dislocated her wing during the almost kidnap of Tiago, Lavender, Dione and Spock the other day. If no-one intervened, Felipe would come down with that same injury. Not wanting the bat to dislocate Felipe's wing, Saturn charged in but was swatted hard across the face several times by a passing membrane wing and sent flapping clumsily backward. Saturn backed away and struggled to regain control of his balance, stunned from the hits but then he flinched harshly when he heard an ear-piercing screech of agony but it was not from Felipe. At this, the blue-and-gold macaw looked up and saw the bat that attempted to dislocate Felipe's wing come away, a rich blue macaw with a distinctive mop of crest feathers on his head viciously tear his claws over the bat's back. Felipe was hovering nearby, his head spinning from the wild whirling ordeal. Roberto had come to the rescue and had saved Felipe from suffering a dislocated wing. Breathing a sigh of relief, Saturn flew in to help Roberto viciously claw the bat while Pearl helped Felipe to his feet.

"I'm fine," said Felipe before Pearl could ask and left to attack another bat viciously beating a hyacinth macaw over the head with its stick.

Nearby, Neptune, Ultramarine, Marinho, Flavio, Pluto, Rudi, Valeria and Violeta were viciously attacking more bats by clashing sticks with them, whacking them with their sticks and feet and clawing them. Rudi clamped down his beak onto one of the bat's wings so hard that the bat screeched in agony before Rudi violently swung his head this way and that and released the bat, sending it careening helplessly away from the group.

"What HORRIBLE body décor!" shouted Pluto as he swung his stick at more bats, obviously commenting on their jet black coats of war paint and the red streaks. "You know we've seen bird tribes and clans wear better war décor than YOU… DOG-FACED BRUTES!"

He screeched as a flying fox's mouth clamped onto his tail feathers and begin to rip feathers. Pluto, not wanting the flying fox tearing out his tail feathers, raised a talon and slashed the claws on it right over the bat's face, making the bat screech and release his tail. Then Valeria flew in and bashed the bat on the head with her stick, knocking it out.

"Their body décor may be _horrible_ and it frightened us when these brutes drove us out of our original home but it certainly doesn't scare us anymore NOW!" snarled she. Then she and Pluto fluttered towards more flying foxes and began to attack them as they chased a group of green macaws. Neptune, Ultramarine, Marinho and Flavio swung their enormous wings and talons around, swiping more flying foxes and bashing them down. Neptune saw some of the black war paint come off one of the flying foxes and smear his navy blue wing. Brushing it off, he continued attacking more flying foxes, Flavio forcing back another sharp-stick armed flying fox by slashing his talons at it and blocking the bat's attempts to attacking him with its stick. Then suddenly, another flying fox rushed in and bashed into the old hyacinth macaw from behind, making Flavio cry in painful shock and fly forward onto the branch.

"Uncle Flavio!" cried Ultramarine and Marinho together and with that, the two, together with Neptune, flew over to Flavio's side.

"Are you alright?" asked Neptune as he helped Flavio onto his feet.

"I'm fine… AARRGH!" cried Flavio as he felt searing pain shoot through his back as it cracked. The Navyfeather Clan patriarch was not as young as he once was and his age was making the battle against the flying foxes an immense challenge. Flavio had opted not to go with the other elderly birds to the safety of the Spix tribe's ravine, instead wanting to look after Violeta and help in the fight. While his nephew, niece and nephew-in-law continued to help him up, his wing clutching his back, a voice suddenly shouted, "Look OUT!"

At this, the four hyacinth macaws all turned and when they saw an arrow of flying foxes dive right at them, their sharp-sticks poised to impale them, Ultramarine, Neptune and Flavio released cries of terror. Suddenly, several green and blue and yellow comets rushed in and tackled the flying foxes away from the four hyacinth macaws just as Neptune, Ultramarine and Marinho had begun to duck and cover their heads and Flavio protectively with their wings. When the quartet saw that they were unharmed, they turned and saw a writhing cloud of flying foxes, great green, blue-throated and military macaws, among them Uranus and Cobalto, as they savagely struggled against the quartet's attempted attackers. Without hesitation, the four hyacinth macaws took off and joined in the fray.

Uranus struggled on the back of one flying fox when suddenly, another came in and tackled him away.

"GET OFF MY BROTHER, you GREEN FEATHERED SLIME-BALL!" bellowed the bat as he did it. Uranus, stunned, was sent flying out of the cloud. As he slammed hard against a tree trunk, briefly stunned, the bat came in with its flail-like weapon.

"I'm gonna TURN YA INTO MINCE!" screeched the bat as he raised the weapon above his head but before he could bring it down onto the great green macaw, Uranus recovered, took off, sending the porcupine quill ball slamming and jamming into the bark where his head would have been, whirled round and without hesitation, Uranus lashed at the bat and clamped his beak with all his might onto the bat's ear, making the bat screech in pain. The bat then dropped his weapon and began to try and pry Uranus's beak open to remove his ear but the great green macaw did not loosen his grip. Back in the battle cloud, Alonso and Verde were savagely attacking two bats while Cobalto took hold of two flying foxes on either side of him and literally banged their heads together by slamming them into each other, hard. Dazed, the two bats fainted. After this, Cobalto shouted to Alonso and Verde, "Where's Cicatriz? I haven't seen him anywhere."

"Look, that's not…" began Alonso, cutting himself off as he dodged a lashing from his opponent's spear-like weapon, "important right now. Just focus on this battle."

"But at least he's not here," cried Verde as she throttled another bat, her talons wrapped tightly around its neck. Cobalto nodded and returned to fighting another bat. On the outskirts of the battlefield, a certain flying fox with a blind right eye stood on a tree, watching the inferno with a devilish look on his face.

"Fight for your precious homes all you want, you good-for-nothing flying disasters," crooned he, "Soon enough, your homes will be OURS!"

"Cicatriz," called someone. At this, Cicatriz turned and found three bats touch down before him. Some more bats stood at a distance.

"We have been in the homes of those bird tribes and clans but they are completely deserted," said one of the bats.

"There are no chicks, no elderly, absolutely no-one in any of the trees or holes or anywhere," said another bat, a female. Their companion nodded in agreement. However, Cicatriz hardened his gaze.

"Have you three checked the entire area of the Sanctuary de Amazon, including the Spix trine's ravine?" he asked. The three bats looked at him.

"Not yet," said the first bat.

"Then go and check the Spix tribe's ravine," said Cicatriz firmly, "And if you find any of those good-for-nothing birds hiding within ANY tree or other hiding place, slaughter them without hesitation."

The three bats nodded and took off, calling for the others that had come with them to follow them. The other bats obeyed and followed the three leaders while Cicatriz continued watching the ongoing war below him, before changing his mind and following the infiltrator group as it left.

"While my colony deals with those feathered worms," he barked, "I'll help the infiltrators deal with the remaining birds of their tribes and clans and smaller groups, including the CHICKS!"

And with that, the ugly bat dressed in his black and red war paint disappeared into the trees.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36- interceptions, panics and explanation**

 **Meanwhile**

Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha continued following Ratigan's group of infiltrators as they flew through the blue-and-gold tribe's territory. They still wore their camouflage outfits and were keeping a safe distance from the group of weapon-armed flying foxes. Ratigan and his group continued flying on until another group of flying foxes turned up through the trees to meet them. At this, Ratigan and his group, as well as their five spies who the bats weren't aware were present, slowed to a hover as the group of flying foxes met them. The second group of flying foxes wore baffled and frustrated looks on their faces.

"There's no SIGN of any of those blue and yellow feathered worms," snarled the one at the front, a female. "All the trees in their grove are empty."

Ratigan and his group exchanged confused glances before Ratigan gazed back at the leader of the second group. Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha continued listening from some leaves.

"Can't you find any of those other tribe members at all?" asked Ratigan. Then one of the male bats from the second group came forward.

"No, Ratigan," said he, "We've looked in every single tree and cave and there's absolutely no sign of even any young chicks, old birds or even eggs."

"Every single one of them has disappeared," said another bat. As he said this, another group of infiltrator bats turned up. They had been in the red tribe's territory and home grove.

"The entire red tribe's missing as well," said one of the bats in that group. As he said this, one of his comrades came forward with a flight feather in her foot claws. Alarm flashed within Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha when they saw that it was coloured navy blue like a hyacinth macaw's feather but the length of it was too short for it to be from a hyacinth.

"However, we did find evidence that some Lear's macaws have been roaming in the red tribe's territory," said the bat as she handed the feather to Ratigan who took it and examined it.

"We have found dozens of their feathers dotting the red tribe's home grove along with countless red macaw feathers," said another bat. The other bats looked on confused.

"Are you meaning to say that the Lear's macaw tribe might have left their ravine to seek refuge with the scarlet and green-winged macaws?" asked Ratigan. None of the bats replied for they were as equally as baffled as he was.

"It seemed that the Lear's macaw tribe had somehow become aware that they were next on our lift of macaw tribes and clans to drive out," muttered one of the bats in the second group. "How they managed to find that out is anyone's guess."

Ratigan gazed at the infiltrator groups including his own. In their hiding place, Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha prepared for action as Sebastian's reddish eyes had spotted some vines nearby.

"Well, despite the fact that those feathered worms' home areas are empty," said Ratigan, a determined look on his face, "Cicatriz did command us to search the entire sanctuary for any birds taking refuge from us while the colony dealt with the feathered fighters, so let's do it for I believe that they are still on the sanctuary somewhere."

The other bats all shouted in agreement and waved their weapons in the air but before the lot could resume their search for the birds in hiding, a squawk rang out, making them all jump. Then a brown comet with green spots of leaves on its head, shoulders and talons rocketed in.

"And _I_ believe the Sanctuary de Amazon has absolutely NO place for barbaric bats like YOU!" it shouted in a female voice. At this, Ratigan and the other bats turned round just in time to spot a small brown bird of prey, her large eyes blazing golden fire of wrath and her talons stretched out before her, charge in towards them. Then without hesitation, Velocity, still in her mud and vegetation disguise, ploughed through the group of flying foxes and slashed her sickle-like claws over the faces and bodies of some of them. Screeches of surprise and agony exploded from the flying fox group and Ratigan had ducked just in time before one of Velocity's talons could slash over his head, while those that were struck were knocked out of the group. Velocity then rocketed off into some trees to turn round for another strike. Some of the bats then grouped together and raised their weapons as the peregrine falcon prepared for a second strike but before Ratigan could give the command for the group to attack, Orion, Diantha and Milo had struck. The second peregrine falcon, the cockatoo and the toucan, all covered with camouflage suits of mud and vegetation, came surging from a nearby tree, a piece of vine in their talons then a second later, Sebastian made his appearance and joined in the fray. Then seconds later, flying fox screeches erupted into the air above Ratigan's group as Velocity, Orion, Milo, Diantha and Sebastian began to wreak havoc on them.

The three vine tendrils held by Diantha, Orion and Milo flew forward towards some flying foxes as their owners flung their talons and their ends clutched in them and like whips, the other ends of the tendrils struck the flying foxes in the faces, back, wings or fronts. One of Orion's carefully aimed whacks of his vine tendril struck the feet of Ratigan, sending shooting pain through his feet and making him drops his sharp-stick while the other flying foxes tried deflecting the whips with their weapons. Ratigan clasped his feet with a wing when suddenly; an adolescent flying fox dressed in mud and vegetation leaped onto his back and began to attack him. Ratigan bolted and struggled as Sebastian began to viciously tear hair from his head and back while Velocity caused havoc for more flying foxes. Then after a few more minutes of fighting, Sebastian, Velocity, Orion, Milo and Diantha stopped their assault and began to retreat.

"AFTER THEM!" barked Ratigan and with that, the sounds of flapping membranous wings filled the air as the group of flying foxes gave chase. Sebastian and his four feathered friends then began to fly for their lives as they were pursued by a group of weapon-armed flying foxes. Orion and Velocity flew above the treetops for they were not built for flying through a cluttered environment while Sebastian, Diantha and Milo continued flying through the canopy, Ratigan's group in hot pursuit. Soon, the young flying fox, the cockatoo and the toucan were weaving in and out of various branches and other obstacles while the two peregrine falcon siblings flew on straight ahead, both with flying foxes hot on their tails. Ratigan's eyes blazed with wrath as they remained fixed on Sebastian, Milo and Diantha.

"When I get hold of you three," he bellowed, flying downward to avoid hitting an outstretched branch, "I'm gonna…"

And with that, he began to spit all kinds of vitriolic and gruesome threats, much to the utter flabbergast of Milo, Diantha and Sebastian. Above, the flying foxes pursuing Orion and Velocity also shouted the same threats.

"Those flying foxes are gonna need bars of soaps in their mouths to wash 'em out if they keep pouring out that dirty stuff," shouted Milo.

"What's 'soap'!?" asked Sebastian who did not know the meaning of the human term.

"It's the stuff humans use to wash themselves with," replied Diantha.

"LOOK OUT!" barked Milo to Diantha. At this, the toucan saw an outstretched branch head her way. Gasping in alarm, she flew upward, narrowly avoiding a horrible collision with the branch. Seconds later, the group of flying foxes led by Ratigan flew up or down to avoid that same branch and continued their chase. As the trio flew on, Diantha flashed a glance at Orion and Velocity as they continued flying through the obstacle-free air above the trees with their pursuers giving chase.

"Good job they're not flying with us," she said, "Otherwise they'd keep crashing into things."

"Peregrine falcons weren't made to fly through a cluttered environment," said Milo, flaying to the side to dodge another branch, "They prefer open spaces."

Suddenly, Sebastian's voice rang out, "They're closing in!"

Indeed the trio's pursuers were. The gap between Ratigan's group and Sebastian's group was beginning to close and Ratigan, his murderous eyes fixed on the three ahead of his group.

"We've got you now, you three feathered worms!" he bellowed.

"Ratigan," shouted one of the female bats when she noticed something odd about one of the three 'birds' in front of the group, "One of the birds is one of our colony-members."

At this, Ratigan flashed her a shocked and thunderstruck glanced. "WHAT!?" he bellowed. Then another bat made out the body shape of Sebastian, especially his wings.

"It's true," he shouted, "It's one of those wretched traitors."

"Is it Augustus?" asked Ratigan. At this, Sebastian flashed an enraged glance at the pursuers.

"I'm his son, Sebastian actually, you monsters!" he retorted. This sent shock and then rage tear through Ratigan and his group.

"Well, when I GET HOLD OF YOU, YOU LITTLE BRAT," bellowed Ratigan at the top of his voice, "I'M GONNA FEED YA ALIVE TO A POOL OF PIRANHAS!"

This threat was enough to make fear flare within Sebastian and he continued flying on with Diantha and Milo, Ratigan's group gaining on them all the time. Above, Velocity and Orion were struggling to keep ahead of their chasers as well, and the chasers were ready to attack and kill the two falcons as soon as they caught up with them. As Ratigan's group were only within a metre away from Sebastian, Milo and Diantha's tails and feet, Diantha shouted, "It's no good! We need some sort of obstacle to slow them down!"

As she said this, Sebastian began to scan the passing canopy hoping to find some sort of natural obstacle to do just that until his eyes landed on a massive web of vines melting into view to the left of the group. At this, he called to Milo and Diantha, "Are you two ready?"

At this, the cockatoo and the toucan shot their flying fox friend a confused look.

"Ready for what?" asked Diantha. Suddenly, Sebastian darted off. Alarmed, the two birds shot off after them, Ratigan and his group swerving after them. Sebastian, Milo and Diantha rocketed towards the enormous webs of crisscrossing vines with Ratigan and his group in hot pursuit. This was the trio's only hope of hindering Ratigan and his group for them to get away. Then as soon as the three were near the beginning of the vine web that stretched for a few metres, Sebastian led Milo and Diantha right through the gaps between the green vines. Because of their smaller size, they were able to slip through easily. However, Ratigan and his group whose average height was twice that of Milo and Diantha's, were too big to slip through the small gaps in the vine web and before they even knew it, their membranous wings and bodies ended up caught in the green net! Screeches and curses of rage, shock and anger tore through the group as the green tendrils ensnared their wings and bodies. Ratigan was almost choked as one of the vines pressed against his neck but he soon realised that he and his group were brought to a standstill. Then Sebastian, Milo and Diantha came round and began to throw out more vines to entangle the flying foxes further despite being bombarded by derogatory words by their chasers.

"YOU FEATHERED WORMS AREN'T GONNA GET AWAY WITH THIS!" bellowed Ratigan. Suddenly, a small flying fox leaped at him and spat his retorts into his face.

"These birds are NOT worms," barked Sebastian as he wrapped another vine around Ratigan's body and bound wings, "Worms are creepy-crawlies that live in the dirt and BIRDS DON'T LIVE IN THE DIRT LIKE THEY DO!"

And with that, he pulled the vine tight so that Ratigan could not escape before flying away with Milo and Diantha who tittered mischievously at them.

"That's what you get for messing with birds, you brutes!" shouted Milo. Diantha then blew a raspberry at Ratigan's group as they began to protest. Above, Orion and Velocity had managed to shake off their chasers by diving through a narrow hole in a web of branches, sending their chasers crashing into the branch and injuring themselves. After this and their hi-fiving of each other, Orion and Velocity joined Sebastian, Milo and Diantha as they rocketed off in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine and the evacuating chicks, leaving Ratigan and his group to struggle in the massive web of vines as some mischievous monkeys then gathered round. Ratigan let loose a frustrated and enraged howl.

 **Meanwhile**

Back with the group of chicks, adolescents and parents with young chicks and eggs, the evacuees from the Navyfeather Clan, blue-throated macaw clan, glaucous macaw tribe and the archaeobird clan as well as the chicks and parents of young chicks and eggs from the smaller groups of birds continued their journey to the Spix tribe's ravine under the guide of their escorts, most of Andromeda's clan and some of the young adult macaws, among them Triton, Charon, Azul and their siblings. On the way, they had been joined by the chicks, adolescents, young adult macaws and parents with under flight aged chicks and unhatched eggs from the red, the green, the Lear's and the blue-and-gold tribes and the other smaller groups of birds. Among the red macaws were Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos and Sheldon, Estelle and Byron and their younger siblings and friends; among the blue-and-gold macaws, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, Iapetus, and Porthos, Brooke and Bastian were present as were Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon with Aramis and Ash with the green macaws, and Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan from the Lear's macaws, as well as Caspian and Citrine the golden conures, Kiawe and Mariposa of the blue-headed macaws, and Alessandro and Rhiannon of the chestnut-fronted macaws with their group members. These macaws helped to look after their younger siblings and keep an eye on the younger chicks to ensure that they did not wander off. The whole lot were now in the Spix tribe's territory and were converging towards the ravine. However, they were not out of danger yet for there were still some flying foxes flying around searching for any bird in hiding to slaughter. Because of this, immense nervousness hung over the flock of evacuees and their escorts like a cloud and wary eyes were constantly scanning the environment for any flash of forms with membranous wings. Augustus and Melissa, together with Stella, Luna, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont and Serena, were especially wary. Sebastian, Orion, Velocity, Milo and Diantha were still missing and the escorts had several hundred lives, some of which were unhatched, riding on their backs. They knew they couldn't face up to a group of savage flying foxes should they be found.

At the entrance of the Spix tribe's ravine, Tiago, Virgil, Músculo, Jojo and Felix were keeping watch for the chicks from the other tribes, clans and small groups. In the ravine's waterfall cave, the elderly from said bird flocks were being sought to by the other Spix macaws under the leadership of Carla, Justin and some of their friends including Tyler, Aurora and Ricardo while the five young adult macaws kept a constant watch on the outside trees for any flash of colour indicating the signs of the second group of evacuees.

"They should be here any second now," said Virgil.

"I hope they haven't been found by any of the flying foxes," murmured Músculo worriedly. He flinched as flashes of horrible imagery blinked in his mind, imagery of chicks and elderly slaughtered in their own homes by furry, membranous winged brutes and eggs smashed. He could not stand the thought of the other tribes and clans being in scenes like these. Furthermore, chicks, especially archaeobird chicks, were incredibly vulnerable and defenceless and although they had escorts with them, the sly tactics of the flying foxes, should a group of them find them, would be too much for even Andromeda's clan's smartness to overcome and deal with, and the flying foxes were definitely a sneaky foe not to be underestimated as Augustus had warned the birds. Jojo and Felix sighed,

"I wonder how our parents are doing in the battlefield," murmured Jojo, flashes of his father Roberto and mother Brisa appearing in his mind.

"I hope they're alright," said Felix.

"Look, let's just keep watch for the young evacuees," said Tiago firmly. The two brothers snapped out of their sad trances and resumed their duty.

 **Not too far away**

The large flock of chicks, adolescents, young adults and parents with chicks and eggs of a wide variety of species of bird living on the Sanctuary de Amazon continued moving through the forest. Augustus and Melissa flew at the front with Stella and Luna, Clemont, Serena, Eustace and Rosa, and Andromeda on her bat-bird mount Rouge flying alongside them. Close behind, Ophiuchus, Eragon, Honeydew, Anakin and Spock flew on their bat-bird mounts, guiding a group of toucans and parakeets with young chicks and eggs in their bags along with a few macaws.

"The Spix tribe's ravine should be coming into view by now," said one of the hyacinth macaws who flew alongside Andromeda and Rouge. Somewhere in the crowd, Triton and Indigo carried Violet, Bellerophon and Pandora while Spyro flew close to them on his bat-bird mount, Hedor, the son of Fedor and Rafflesia the hoatzins, behind him. Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri, Aiden and Penelope, Victor and Trixie flew alongside some green, red and blue-and-gold macaw friends, Trixie flying with Enceladus and also Ganymede and Mimas, Benjamin and Umbriel and several others while Wilbur, Aurelio, Azul and Fernanda flew with Buddy who carried Matheus in his talons. Desdemona and Lucy rode on their brothers' backs, terrified eyes flashing this way and that at the trees.

Near the blue-throated brothers, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Io, Europa, Callisto, Sheldon, Byron, Estelle, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos flew. Io carried Amalthea and Oliver on her back while Alexandre carried Gabrielle. Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus flew with Porthos, Bastian and Brooke with their younger siblings also in their talons or on their backs. Hyperion and Gordon rode on their big brother Titan's back while Edmund rode on Miranda's back as she flew alongside Aramis, Ariel, Titania, Ash and Oberon. The young chicks were clearly terrified and they desperately clung to their older siblings and relatives for fear of separation. Next to Triton and his sisters, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa, Alessandro and Rhiannon and their friends were helping to carry their siblings' eggs and chicks. Kiawe had an older sister named Amara who was a mother to two very young chicks that had hatched yesterday; both sons. He was helping his sister and brother-in-law to carry their featherless sons in a specially designed nest-like bag filled with moss to keep the chicks warm. Mariposa flashed a worried look at Kiawe's nephews.

"It's a good thing we didn't consent to having chicks of our own right now, isn't it?" she said. Kiawe breathed a sigh.

"Too right, my sweetheart," he murmured, "Especially with the threat of those membrane-winged furballs hanging over us like a giant predatory eagle."

"Those bats show now qualms about attacking and killing chicks and young birds, I can tell you," said Alessandro.

"Those furballs are brutes," said Rhiannon bitterly, "We've lost quite a few birds to them already."

She shuddered as she remembered the incident involving a friend of hers and Alessandro's, a male chestnut-fronted macaw named Jorge who ended up attacked by some intruding flying foxes at the strawberry guava grove. He had eavesdropped on them and they turned and attacked him, clawing him across the face and breaking his wing. He had sadly died two days later.

"Are we nearly at the ravine yet?" called Caspian to the leaders at the front. His nerves were beginning to shudder all the more and he was losing patience. Andromeda, Augustus and Melissa looked through the clutter of vegetation when Anakin called out, "There it is."

At this, the other leaders followed his gaze and saw a faint of sandy brown through the vegetation. It was clearly one of the walls of the Spix tribe's ravine's outskirts.

"There, ahead of us," called Andromeda to Augustus. "Can you see it?"

"Yes," said Augustus, "I see it now."

Melissa, Stella, Luna, Eustace, Rosa, Clemont and Serena all smiled while breaths of relief coursed through the crowd. They were almost at their destination. However, that relief was immediately shattered when one of the archaeobirds spotted something emerge out of the shadows of the trees, heading straight towards the flock. The two dreaded words exploding from his beak immediately sent everything into chaos.

"FLYING FOX ALERT!" he bellowed, "HIDE!"

At this, all eyes turned and saw black shadowy figures with red marks on their faces, as well as sticks held in their feet, appear from under a thick clutter of canopy. Their membranous wings swept out to the sides, propelling their owners towards the chicks and in the eyes of those creatures was pure murderous desires and malice. Terror exploded through the crowd as chicks let loose ear-piercing screams. Chicks able to fly then began to scatter in their panic.

"DON'T LET THOSE CHICKS SCATTER!" barked Augustus. At this, the escorts and older birds sprang into action and began to shoot around to stop the younger chicks from scattering too far. If the scattering was not restrained any further, the chicks could get lost with disastrous results. Triton immediately seized Violet to prevent her from flying off in the wrong direction while Clemont, Serena, Eustace and Rosa seized some young toucan chicks as they tried flying in the opposite direction to the Spix tribe's ravine. Archaeobirds on their bat-bird mounts flew like sheepdogs in front of more young macaw chicks and stopped them in their tracks. Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio and Fernanda also seized Desdemona and Lucy and fled into a large cluster of leaves in the trees. Soon, the other birds were doing the same. With the chicks and the precious under-flight aged chicks and eggs tightly in their clutches, the flock surged into the nearby trees' leaves and hollows, filling the air with multi-coloured comets as the group of war-paint donning flying foxes continued to approach them.

"I'll fetch help," barked Andromeda and with that, she commanded Rouge and her mount rocketed off in the direction of the ravine. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, together with Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos, Sheldon, Estelle, Byron and Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, Iapetus and their friends including Benjamin and Regina, two of Felipe and Pearl's offspring, darted into the trees' leaves with other scarlet, green-winged, blue-and-gold and hyacinth macaws including Vincente and Arlo, Violeta and Demetrio's sons who had come with the group. Seconds later, the group of flying foxes arrived just as the final few dived for cover.

 **Meanwhile**

The sounds of various macaw species and flying foxes continued to shake the air, accompanied by the clashing of weapons made mostly from wood as the macaws and the flying foxes continued their immense battle. As Venus swiped more bats with her stick, she suddenly stiffened when she came face to face with a familiar furry face. That face also froze as she recognised the pigtailed Spix macaw.

"I remember you… shortly after the most recent fire…" murmured the bat. Venus, at this, had images flash in her mind of the chase that night. This female bat had been part of Voldemort's group that had chased Venus through the singed forest right after the fire after she had got lost. Then Venus's face morphed from a look of shock to one of bitter scowl. Clashing her stick against the sharp-stick of the bat, named Cruella, Venus scowled right into her face.

"If you THINK it's a joke to scorn us birds after the fiery disaster a few years ago, you furry hag," she snarled, her maya blue feathers puffed out, "THINK AGAIN!"

Then with a powerful surge of strength, Venus forced Cruella backwards, making her lose balance briefly. Then Venus, with an enraged screech, surged towards Cruella and began to try and beat her with her stick but Cruella blocked it with her sharp-stick.

"I would have made one of your feathers as part of my collection that night, you feathered scum!" snarled Cruella. Venus hissed through a gritted beak as she forced her stick against Cruella's sharp-stick.

"Well I would have TAKEN THAT STICK AND DESTROYED IT, ALONG WITH YOUR INSULTING COLLECTION OF TROPHIES!" retorted Venus and with that, she heaved against her stick and pushed Cruella backwards. Cruella then spun her sharp-stick, aimed it for Venus's abdomen and attempted to ram it through the macaw but Venus dodged and clashed her stick with the bat's. While Venus continued fighting Cruella, Jewel was mercilessly slashing her claws across a number of bats' faces, spitting venomous comments at the bats on the go. Nearby, Jupiter, after bashing down a large muscular bat with his stick, shot alarmed gazes at the number of bats as they continued fighting the birds.

"We need backup!" he barked.

"What backup?" asked Mars confused. However, Jupiter had already rocketed off.

"Oi, Jupiter, GET BACK HERE!" barked Felipe.

"I'll be back in a short while!" cried Jupiter as he left. Felipe and Mars, confused, gazed at each other before resuming their fight against the bats. They had no idea what Jupiter meant by 'backup', but Jupiter knew. He had met the certain group before with Melissa and Diantha.

While the macaws continued fighting the bats, Falkor rallied the smaller macaws and other birds to do their part in the war. Turning to a flock of chestnut-fronted, blue-headed and red-fronted macaws, among them Skyla and Jairo, the parents of Mariposa, and some golden conures who were armed with slingshots and ball-shaped leaves Cegador Powder balls made by the archaeobird clan and given to the birds for the fight, Falkor gave the flock the signal.

"Right, off you go!" barked the milicinth macaw. And within seconds, the sounds of flapping wings beat the air as the group took off, their slingshots and Cegador Powder balls in their talons. Skyla and Jairo led the group as the birds moved into a v-shaped attack formation as they flew over the sea of fighting macaws and bats. Some flying foxes saw the small birds and tried to rush to intercept them but they were stopped by some Spix, hyacinth, Lear's and red macaws. One adolescent flying fox armed with a hammer-like weapon, a stone tied to a stick, took off from the crowd of flying foxes and flew towards the incoming group of small parrots. However, Alonso stopped him by yanking a stick from one of the flying foxes and tossing it at the young bat. The bat was struck in the belly and knocked like a bird out of the sky just as he neared Skyla and Jairo and their group who continued flying towards the sea of bats. Then moments later, Cegador Powder balls were loaded into the slingshots and then at Jairo's shout of "FIRE!" the fungus and dirt-powder filled balls were sent flying from the slingshots and shooting like little bullets towards the flying foxes. Billows of smoke-like clouds exploded in the crowd of flying foxes as the powder balls smashed into their targets. However, the shooters were careful to avoid hitting their allies.

Dozens of flying foxes then began to screech and splutter as the irritating concoction got into their eyes, noses and mouths. The effects of the Cegador Powder then began to blind the bats, allowing their feathered opponents to gain the upper hand over them. As one of the Cegador Powder balls struck Cruella square in the face, smothering her in the irritating powder of its contents and causing her eyes to burn and her lungs to cough and splutter, Venus rushed in as soon as the powder began to disperse and began to beat the flying fox mercilessly with her stick. More Cegador Powder balls continued to fly from the slingshots held by the group of blue-headed, chestnut-fronted and red-fronted macaws and golden parakeets until finally, they retreated to the other shooters after their supply had ran out. Sounds of coughing and spluttering continued to explode from the flying foxes as their feathered opponents continued attacking. Fedor who stood with Rafflesia watched the result with a smug look on his face.

"SEEEE-IM (EEE-YEEES)!" he barked in Portuguese. The other small birds and Falkor and Ámbar continued to watch as some of the flying foxes continued coughing and spluttering. As the irritating cloud began to disperse, Iracebeth had some of the larger bats fly up and flap their wings to generate a draught to do away with the cloud. Then soon, the flying foxes had recovered from their stall by the Cegador Powder balls and had resumed fighting the macaws.

While the war continued to rage, a group of birds had flown into the Sanctuary de Amazon. They were the city friends of Jupiter, Blu and company and six of them were the parents of Eustace and his group. Two of the birds were peregrine falcons; two were cockatoos, one a female Major Mitchell's and the other a male sulfur-crested; two were toucans, one a pure toco and the other a pure keel-billed, and two were canaries, one of them wearing his trademark bottle-hat cap and the other two were red-crested cardinals. Cometa, Lightning (Orion and Velocity's parents), Travis, Sunset (Eustace, Milo and Rosa's parents), Rafael, Eva (the parents of Diantha and her many, many siblings), Pedro, Nico and their respective girlfriends Rose and Sparkle had flown all the way from Rio to the Sanctuary de Amazon. They had come looking for Eustace and company after realising they had been absent for quite some time.

"Boy, I can't believe that our older son and daughter have been absent for this long," muttered Cometa as the group flew along, "Although they are young adult falcons now, we still worry about them."

"The Amazon Rainforest is not the place for peregrine falcons such as us to be, you know," said Lightning, "I just hope that our first-brood son and daughter hadn't run into trouble."

"That's exactly what we are worried about regarding one of our daughters Diantha," said Rafael as he flew alongside Eva. At this, Sunset rolled her eyes scornfully.

"Yeah right," she muttered sarcastically, "Despite the fact that you already have seventy-something other offspring back in Rio, rabbit toucan?"

Travis sourly nodded in agreement. Rafael shot the two cockatoos a glare. He was clearly sick of Travis and Sunset calling him and Eva 'rabbit toucans' which had been going on for some time but Cometa, Lightning, Nico, Sparkle, Pedro and Rose, along with the mammal friends of the birds, Broccoli and his sister Daisy and greyhound friend James, need not be surprised. Rafael and Eva, despite being well on in their years now, were still having baby toucans, something the two claimed loved doing. However, this has made Travis and Sunset, who were also well on in their years, feel small because they realised that they could not conceive any more chicks a few years ago and seeing these two toucans continue to produce one clutch after another has caused a rift between them and the toucans. Travis and Sunset were no longer very friendly towards Rafael and Eva as a result.

"You can't take your disappointment of not being able to have any more babies out on Rafy and his mate, Travis and Sunset," said Pedro, trying to both comfort and rebuke the two cockatoos at the same time.

"It's just one of those things," said Nico.

"Exactly," said Rose in agreement.

"But it's not your fault," said Sparkle. However, the sour looks never left Travis and Sunset's face. Then Lightning turned to the canaries and cardinals.

"Yeah, but even so," he said, a look of sympathy glanced at the two glum cockatoos and a stern glance at Rafael and Eva, "I think those two toucans have been having FAR too many kids, to be honest."

"Sooner or later, they'll be reaching the hundreds if they keep at it," said Cometa. Rafael and Eva just didn't say anything. Cometa and Lightning hated to admit but they kind of agreed with Sunset and Travis's description of these two toucans as being like rabbits. They seemed to love having as many kids as possible. Cometa and Lightning only had three offspring: their first-brood son and daughter and their second brood son back in Rio who was being looked after by a babysitter while his parents was away looking for his older brother and sister. There was no way this couple was going to breed like Rafael and Eva liked to do. The two falcons then turned their attention to the trees below. However, they noticed something rather odd about them.

"Well, we should be in the Sanctuary by now," said Travis but he stopped when he saw the two falcons gaze at the trees. "Cometa, Lightning?" he asked confused. The others also stopped.

"Something wrong?" asked Pedro, Rose hovering beside him.

"The trees are awfully quiet," said Cometa. At this, the others exchanged glances. Then Lightning gazed at them.

"Can you hear any birdcall at all?" he said. At this, Travis, Sunset, Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose cocked their ears to the quiet trees below them to listen. To their surprise, they heard nothing. Normally the trees were filled with a variety of birdcalls but now, it was completely quiet save for a few monkey calls and a roar of a jaguar in the distance.

"This is definitely not right," said Travis.

"Don't tell me something has happened, has it?" asked Sunset. It was then that Rafael and Eva heard something in the distance. At this, they cocked their ears to listen to that sound. It sounded like an uproarious roar of squawks. Compelled by curiosity, the toco/keel-billed couple shot off to trace the noise.

"Rafael, Eva?" asked Cometa and with that, she and the others took off after the toucans. The group flew on for some time until the noise was loud enough for the others to pick up.

"What's that noise?" asked Sunset.

"Sounds like a Pit of Games soccer match going on," said Travis, "Eustace had noticed to us that the inhabitants of the Sanctuary de Amazon were going to have a Pit of Games Soccer League."

However, Sparkle, who had sensitive hearing, heard something else in the roar.

"With the clashing of sticks thrown in?" she asked sceptically. At this, the others gazed at her, dread beginning to well within them. It was then that Cometa let loose a shriek of horror.

"Guys, come and have a look at THIS!" she barked. At this, the others shot up to her. Cometa, with her sensitive eyes, had picked out a mass in the distance. With a point of a talon, she showed the others what she had seen. The others then saw a colourful mass in the distance where the Pit of Games was, and that mass was writhing like a restless flock of colourful starlings.

"Sounds like some sort of fight is going on!" cried Nico.

"A FIGHT!?" barked Travis in surprise.

"B-b-but all the bird tribes and clans have made peace!" said Sunset. "How could there be a fight going on."

Then Lightning began to scan the contents of the cloud, using the telescopic vision he and Cometa possessed which was better than the other birds' eyesight.

"What can you see, Lightning?" asked Rafael. Lightning did not answer at first. Finally, he began to give out his observations.

"There's definitely a fight going on in that cloud of birds over there…" he said, "I can see some Spix macaws, some red macaws…"

Cometa also observed the cloud as Sunset, Travis, Sparkle, Rose, Nico, Pedro, Rafael and Eva watched on.

"…some green macaws, and some hyacinth macaws…" continued Lightning, "And they're armed with some sort of stick-like weapons, fighting something…"

Dread tore through the others.

"What something?" demanded Eva.

"Another bird tribe or something?" asked Pedro. Lightning continued examining the cloud.

"Wait, I see another type of flying creature fight back against those macaws…" he said. The others exchanged confused glances.

"What other type of flying creature?" asked Rafael. Lightning and Cometa continued observing the cloud and began to describe the other type of flying creature.

"They have wings but they are not feathered…" said Lightning, "They are black with red markings… their bodies are covered with fur…"

"Bat-birds?" asked Sunset. However, Cometa gave a key piece of information that ruled this possibility out.

"…Their wings are shaped like a human's umbrella…" she said, "Their faces are like those of a husky dog…"

"Umbrella shaped wings?" said Nico.

"Husky dog-like faces?" said Rafael in confusion. At this, Travis and Sunset flinched as they realised the answer to the puzzle.

"Flying foxes," whispered Sunset. Cometa and Lightning then gazed at the others, horrible looks on their faces. That meant only one thing and they remembered that a colony of those winged furry creatures lived right beside the Sanctuary de Amazon.

"Looks like those flying foxes are fighting the macaws," said Cometa. She then drew in a sharp, horrified gasp when she saw a familiar blue-and-gold macaw, Saturn, get violently thrown back, whacked by one of the flying foxes' weapons. Then suddenly, Marinho and Neptune appeared out of nowhere and tackled the highly muscular bat, the one that had attacked Saturn and drive it away.

"What are those bats fighting the macaws for?" asked Rafael. It was then that the group heard the sound of rushing air accompanied by frantic wing flapping. At this, the group turned and saw a familiar vermillion macaw with teal and yellow wings rocket through the trees. Recognising him as Jupiter, Cometa and the others darted off after him, hoping he had answers to their questions.

"What's going on?" demanded Travis. At this, Jupiter's gaze snapped to Travis and company.

"Hey, Milo, Rosa, Orion, Velocity and Diantha," he said, "What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be escorting the chicks and the others to the Spix tribe's ravine."

However, when he saw that the two cockatoos, the two peregrine falcons and Eva were older and that they were accompanied by two canaries and two red-crested cardinals, he realised his mistake and slowed to a hover.

"Lightning, Cometa?" he gasped incredulously, "Rafael, Eva, Travis, Sunset, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose!? What are you guys doing here at such a dangerous time?"

"What's going on, Jupiter?" asked Travis. Jupiter, at this, flashed glances this way and that, torn between talking to Travis and company and finding someone else.

"He asked you a question, Muscles," said Pedro. The others looked on; the same explanation-demanding looks on their faces aiming at Jupiter. The large scarlet macaw, however, made his decision and flew on.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time to explain anything, folks," he said and was about to accelerate off. However, Lightning darted off and intercepted him by flying into his path and stopping him in his tracks.

"We DEMAND our questions to be answered REGARDLESS, Jupiter," he growled. At this, Jupiter gazed at the falcon, then turned and saw the others glare at him, their faces bearing the same demanding looks. Finally, he admitted defeat and began to explain everything.

"The Sanctuary de Amazon has become under the threat of invasion by the flying fox colony who had been planning to drive out its avian inhabitants and taking it over based on a huge lie that we birds are vermin and the cause of all the disasters that has affected them," he said. "That's what this whole war is about."

This made Travis's group exchange confused glances.

"Vermin?" repeated Nico.

"Disasters that affected the flying foxes?" asked Sparkle in confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Cometa. Jupiter rolled his eyes.

"Those bats just want to drive us birds out and take our territory because they view us as vermin and the causes of the disasters that has affected them for generations which had placed us birds at extreme loggerheads with those bats that eventually escalated to this war," said he, putting the explanation into another set of words in the hopes that Travis and the others would understand, "I hope this is easier for you to understand."

"Why?" asked Sunset, flying over to Jupiter, "Why would those bats target the Sanctuary de Amazon?"

"Never mind about that," said Cometa firmly, "Our top priority is finding Orion, Velocity, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha."

"They have been missing for quite some time," said Rafael. At this, dread came over Jupiter as he realised that this would lead Travis's group into danger if they ever ran into any of those bird-hating bats.

"If you're looking for those eight birds," he said, "They'll be with a flock of chicks currently on their way to the Spix tribe's ravine but be careful," Jupiter's gaze turned hard, "Those flying foxes are armed and they absolutely detest us birds."

Then before Travis's group could ask any more questions, Jupiter was off, a vermillion, teal and yellow comet. Nico indignantly watched him leave.

"He certainly can be rude sometimes," he muttered.

"Never mind about that, let's just find Eustace and the others before any of those flying foxes do… FAST!" barked Travis and with that, the small group darted off in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37- interventions, close calls and a wild chase**

 **Meanwhile**

Just outside the Spix tribe's ravine, the last of the chicks and the others of the second group of evacuees had managed to dive into hiding moments before the group of flying foxes, their pelages covered in a suit of jet black war paint with red markings, reached the spot where they were seconds ago. Phoebe and Jasmine had disappeared into one of the clusters of leaves just before one of the large muscular bats could have the chance to impale them with his sharp-stick. Andromeda, who had flown away to get help, had been tackled by one of the flying foxes, resulting in her falling off Rouge's back while Rouge herself had been seized and tied up. Now Andromeda was being restrained by two muscular bats with Rouge being held captive and bound by two more flying foxes who prevented them from seeking help while the other bats had begun to search for the other birds and bat-birds in the leaves and hollows of the trees. From their hiding places, the variety of birds watched intently as the horrible flying furry creatures dressed in black and red continue to scour the environment for any flash of colour. None of them dare breathe and the décor of the bats really frightened the chicks, especially the blue-throated macaws and some of the hyacinth macaws, those that were the last surviving members of the Bluewing Clan. Vincente and Arlo were two of the macaws and they shuddered like leaves as their terrified gazes remained fixed on the hovering bats, Vincente especially shaking after what had happened to his mate and daughter that night which had left him traumatised and heartbroken.

In one of the trees, Eustace, who hid with Spyro, Bellerophon, Pandora, Hedor and Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus, Ganymede, Trixie, Porthos, Brooke, Bastian, Benjamin and Oberon and many other young adult macaws and birds with young chicks and siblings, adolescents and parents with flightless chicks and eggs, tried to keep the noises of their breathing to a minimum while they watched the group of hovering bats, their keen eyes scouring the trees for any flashes of colourful feathers. Hyperion and Gordon, tears of terror spilling from their eyes, huddled against Titan and emitted frightened but silent sobs. Titan tried to calm his two younger brothers down by cradling them in his wings while Ganymede scanned the bats. To his immense horror, and to the horror of the other birds, all the bats were armed with weapons, mostly sharp-sticks, poised to attack any victim their owner found. The sight of the weapons added to the fear and terror of the young chicks and parent birds, and some of them huddled their very young chicks and eggs close to them. Bellerophon and Pandora huddled close to Spyro who began to scan the environment for Ophiuchus, Honeydew, Eragon, Anakin and Spock. To his frustration, those five were well hidden somewhere in one of the other trees.

Around Eustace and company's hiding place, the others were hidden in more leaves, hollows and some in ferns, their terrified eyes fixed on the prowling bats who continued stalking about in the air like a pack of cats searching for prey. Eustace shuddered at the body décor of the bats, especially at the blood-red rings painted around their eyes and the streaks below them, giving the bats the appearance of weeping blood from their eyes, and the red ribcage-like pattern on their chests. They practically looked like flying horror creatures, and it made some of the birds, such as Anakin and Spock, feel utterly sick. Nearby, Augustus and Melissa, with Stella and Luna in their wings, were determining the distance between the group's location and the Spix tribe's ravine, visible as a large slab of sandy-brown coloured rock through the clutter of vegetation. At the same time they discussed ideas of getting the birds to safety while observing their former colony-mates as they continued prowling around, their body décor sending waves of immense disgust and revulsion coursing through them, and Stella and Luna could not imagine either themselves or Sebastian wearing that sort of body paint. They preferred the pretty body paint and décor the bird tribes and clans wore during their special dances and not the shady body décor of the flying foxes.

"Where's Andromeda?" asked Spock in a hushed voice to Augustus. Augustus shot him a confused look for he did not know the archaeobird very well.

"She's our clan matriarch and my mate," said Eragon, "She and Rouge have gone to seek help but…"

Before he could finish, he heard the sounds of archaeobird squawking and screeching from the forest floor. At this, Augustus, Spock and Eragon followed the source of the sound but when their eyes landed on the owner of the squawks, horror turned their blood especially that of Eragon and also Spock, into ice and Eragon managed to stifle a horrified gasp as one of the large flying foxes armed with a sharp-stick looked his way through the slits through the leaves covering him and the others. However, from the bat's perspective, it was just a massive cluster of leaves. Taken in by this ordinary looking cluster, the bat moved on and continued to scour the trees like a jaguar searching for prey.

On the forest floor, Andromeda was writhing under the mass of muscle and black and red war-paint coated fur of her two captors. A foot away, Rouge was struggling in some strong vines and in the wings of two more flying foxes, squeaky grunts and hisses escaping her beak but the bats refused to release their iron-grip on her.

"Look, just LET THEM GO, you BRUTES!" snarled Andromeda fiercely as she continued to writhe under her two captors, her metallic blue feathers bristled, "They're just KIDS!"

"SHUT UP, you four-winged SLIME WORM OF FEATHERS!" bellowed one of her captors and with that; he struck Andromeda hard on the head while the other aimed a sharp-stick at the carotid area of the clan matriarch's neck. Andromeda, seeing that her protests were putting her life on the line, stopped writhing and shut her beak, but she still boiled with wrath. From one of the trees, Eragon gazed down at his mate and her bat-bird as they continued to struggle, shuddering while Io gazed at the amount of distance that lay between the massive group and the ravine. She felt like venting her frustration over the sudden and unexpected turn of events but could not for that would blow her group's cover to the flying foxes, and those flying foxes were fuelled by immense determination in finding and slaughtering the evacuees. Next to her, Europa cuddled the terrified Oliver and Amalthea close to her while Alexandre cradled Gabrielle. The three young chicks, like ever other chick in the group, were extremely frightened. Then Sheldon who held a young glaucous macaw chick, shuddered when his eyes found something bone-chilling.

"Io, folks," he whispered and pointed to a certain hollow. At this, the gazes of Io, Europa and Alexandre followed Sheldon's point until they landed on the hollow. As soon as they did, the hearts of the three leaped into their throat. One of the large, muscular flying foxes armed with a mace-like weapon was standing right near the entrance to the hollow covered by a large leaf, and inside that hollow; Triton was looking out, wary eyes on the huge bat. Then Io saw that he wasn't alone.

"There's someone else with him in that hollow," she whispered. At this, Europa, Alexandre and Sheldon saw that she was right. Indigo and Violet were also in there, along with Kiawe and Mariposa, Rosa, Kiawe's sister Amara and her family, and some other macaws and archaeobirds, some of which were young chicks and adolescents, and three young toucans, and they were all crammed into that hollow right where the massive and dangerously armed bat was, the bat's feet barely inches from Triton's pair of eyes that glowed with immense terror and Io could see that in them. It was the same look of terror he bore during the confrontation with some predatory bat-birds in Jurassic Jungle during Io, Triton and some other birds' expedition to Guyana to find the treasure and save the sanctuary from losing its protected nature reserve status. Io knew that if any of the birds in that hollow were to make any sound, the results would be disastrous, for the bats' ears were also cocked to picking up any sounds any of the birds made. Gabrielle, Amalthea and Oliver whimpered for those in that hollow but then Europa and Sheldon, along with Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre saw two more bats as they scanned the environment, their piercing cat-like gazes heading straight for Triton's group's hiding place like the security lasers in a closely guarded human building.

"We've gotta do something, Io," whispered Callisto worriedly as the group examined the two bats behaviour.

"What are you crazy!?" snapped Io incredulously, flinching as two of the bats slowly hovered by, their eyes scouring the mass of green leaves for any flash of colour, "Those bats are twice our size! If they catch hold of us, they could…"

Europa was about to speak when suddenly, the group heard a bone-chilling voice from one of the flying foxes outside.

"I think I can see something in that hollow with that big leaf in the way," said the bat, her voice directed at the muscular bat standing right outside Triton and company's hiding place, "Looks like a pair of eyes which I believe could be one of the chicks."

Dread flooded the macaws and Io saw that the speaker had her wing pointed straight at the hollow, the exact hollow in which Triton and the others were hidden, the muscular bat that stood near it gazing at the speaker with a raised eyebrow. Then the muscular bat began to turn his attention to the hollow. At this, Io saw Triton's eyes move in the shadow of the hollow as he attempted to shift further back into the hollow. However, the large bat had his mace-like weapon prepared to attack whoever was in the hollow.

"I think I agree with Callisto," said Io and with that she, Callisto and Europa, after handing Amalthea and Oliver to a hyacinth macaw adolescent, prepared to jump out to create a diversion despite quiet protests from the other macaws, birds and archaeobirds and the risks involved. But then a sound stopped the three scarlet sisters in their tracks, a sound that sent immense relief coursing through them. It was a falcon squawk and it sounded familiar. As the falcon squawk echoed through the vegetation and increased in loudness as its owner came closer, the flying foxes stopped their search for the young birds and the others and began to examine the environment suspiciously, their weapons poised for action.

"You guys hear that?" asked one of them, another female. The others nodded. The four captors restraining Andromeda and her bat-bird Rouge also stopped and began to scan the environment suspiciously. Bad move. As soon as the four bats had removed their attention from her and Rouge, Andromeda's wing claws reached out for a nearby rock. Then without wasting a second, Andromeda heaved the rock and smashed it into one of her captors' face as hard as she could. The captor erupted into a stunned cry of pain as the rock connected to his face and fell off Andromeda, knocking his companion, who emitted stunned squeaks, off her in the process. Now free, the archaeobird jumped up and slashed the sickle-like talon on one of her hind-wing like legs across each of the flying foxes' faces before bolting to the two bats holding Rouge. Without hesitation, Andromeda clawed them across the face as well before turning to Rouge to free her, using her snout-like beak and the teeth within it to bite through the vines, starting with the vines binding Rouge's wings.

The other flying foxes, after hearing the screeches of their four companions restraining Andromeda and Rouge, snapped their gazes from the environment to the four bats as they clutched their scratched faces and Andromeda as she freed Rouge. From their hiding places, many of the birds and Augustus also saw Andromeda as she continued to rescue Rouge. Seeing that the archaeobird had freed herself, the bats began to fly at her to capture her but before any of them could pounce onto the archaeobird clan matriarch and her bat-bird, a brown comet rocketed in from nowhere and surged towards them, his bulbous eyes blazing onyx flames and his talons poised to inflict injury.

As he flew through the trees, the gust of wind blew off the vegetation on his head and shoulders and careened towards the floor. Then as soon as he was near the flying foxes about to attack Andromeda, Orion swooped down and slashed his fishhook like claws over the bats' faces, heads and backs. Andromeda, with a partially freed Rouge in her fore-wings, dived to one side as blood flew everywhere followed by screeches of extreme agony. Orion's sudden appearance startled the other bats and had surprised Eragon and his bat-bird who had been about to leap out at the bats and rescue Andromeda only to stop when he saw the brown comet shoot in.

"Attack THAT BIRD!" shouted the ringleader but before any of the other bats could surge forward, Velocity, Milo, Diantha and Sebastian appeared. Milo and Velocity charged at the other bats and began to attack them while Sebastian and Diantha hurried over to the hollow in which Triton and the others had taken refuge. After moving aside the large leaf, Sebastian commanded those in the hollow to flee. At first, Triton felt alarm tear through him when he saw Sebastian and refused to obey but when he saw that Diantha was with him, he relented and allowed Sebastian and Diantha to help them. While Orion, Velocity and Milo kept the flying foxes occupied, the air suddenly exploded into life as colourful comets darted out of the trees and hollows. The escorts emerged from their hiding places with the chicks and everyone else and began to command the chicks to fly to the ravine.

"Hurry, everyone!" shouted Phoebe, "The Spix tribe's ravine is through there!"

The chicks, adolescents and the parents carrying young chicks and eggs hurried through the vegetation towards the ravine's outskirts. However, some of the flying foxes, when they saw their targets escaping, managed to fight past Velocity, Orion and Milo and charged at the group, only to face the enraged claws and beaks from the escorts as they fought back to protect the young they had been entrusted with. While all this was going on, Rosa stared in utter shock at Sebastian and Velocity as she emerged from the hollow after Triton but then a look of outrage came onto her face.

"Where have you five been all this time!?" she demanded, "Don't you realise what worry you've caused the rest of us?"

"No time to explain," replied Sebastian, "Just get these chicks to the ravine NOW!"

Rosa, at this, hesitated but then obeyed. Indigo, with Violet clutched in her talons emerged next, followed by Kiawe and his sister Amara and her family, and Mariposa, and the few other macaws and the chicks, a mixture of scarlet, green-winged, glaucous and blue-throated, and a trio of young toco toucans. Around the group of brawling escorts and bats, more colourful comets exploded into the air as the other chicks and evacuees darted off for the Spix tribe's ravine. Eragon, on his bat-bird, made a beeline for Andromeda and Rouge on the ground while Orion continued savagely attacking the bats nearby.

"Are you alright, my love?" he asked. Andromeda after snapping through last of the vines binding Rouge with her toothed beak, nodded to confirm that she was. Then she hopped onto her bat-bird's back and commanded Rouge to take off. Nearby, Augustus and Melissa saw Sebastian as he helped more birds escape from another hollow and a tree. At this, they shouted their son's name and shot over to him.

"Mom, Dad!" cried he as he was suddenly swallowed up in an embrace of membranous wings.

"Where IN THE WORLD have you been!?" demanded Melissa.

"Don't you realise this whole area is _infested_ with these bats?" added Augustus.

"I-I-m sorry to have wandered off, Mom and Dad," cried Sebastian but then Augustus and Melissa pulled him into a hug. Rosa, Eustace, Clemont and Serena also shared a brief reunion with Diantha and Milo but that reunion was cut short. The flying foxes were beginning to fight back against the escorts and also against Orion and Velocity, their weapons being put into use and Orion narrowly avoided having his chest struck by one of the mace-like weapons thrown by one of the bats. Realising that they did not have much time, the group took off after the others. However, on the way, some of the flying foxes had managed to cut off some of the chicks and escorts' escape, much to the horror of the others. The group consisting of a mixture of scarlet, green-winged and blue-and-gold macaws, among them Callisto, Dione and Porthos, and two archaeobirds on their bat-birds and some parakeets, stopped dead in horror as one of the muscular bats raised his sharp-stick in a threatening way.

"Now I've got you… AARRRGGGGH!" screeched the bat as Callisto lurched forward and scored her claws over his face, much to the shock of the others. In retaliation, one of the bat's companions darted forward, raised her stick and without hesitation, struck Callisto on the head with her stick, hard, much to the horror of the others.

"CALLISTO!" cried Ganymede as he; Io and Europa watched their sister fall towards the floor. Porthos then lashed at Callisto's attacker and slashed her across the face, throwing her head to one side and making her screech in agony as Callisto continued plummeting. However, Velocity swooped in and caught her. The other bats then proceeded to attack the trapped group. One of the muscular bats caught Porthos by the talon and began to shake him wildly in an attempt to break his wing while another bat ensnared her by the beck with a vine, cutting off her breathing. The other bats also attacked the others they had trapped, trying to get at the chicks but the older birds fight back. Dione's talons rushed to her neck to pry the vine wrapped tightly around her neck but the bat, a sadistic look on his face, refused to slacken it. Evil cackles escaped his mouth as Dione struggled for breath while Porthos struggled to free his talon from the muscular bat's membranous wing hold. But before things could begin to spiral out of control, another squawk rang out; this time from a macaw. The flying foxes with the one strangling Dione and the other thrashing Porthos, stopped their vicious attack.

"Now what!?" snarled the lead bat as she and the other bats looked around. However, they did not see a group of cerulean blue comets charge in through the canopy, their beaks and talons poised for attacking. Seeing this distraction as an opportunity, Dione bolted her talons backwards like a horse and kicked her strangler in the stomach while Porthos's beak sank into the arm part of one of his holder's wings, hard. The two holders cried in pain, releasing Porthos who flew away and Dione whop began to gasp for air, moments before the cerulean comets came into view. Tiago, together with Justin, Matilda, Charlotte, Virgil, Jojo and Felix, swooped down upon the flying foxes like hawks and as soon as they were close, they slashed their claws into the backs of the flying foxes blocking Porthos, Dione and Callisto's group's way and attacking them. The flying foxes, stunned and in pain, fell down like skittles in the human game of bowling, much to the joyful relief of the group. Then Andromeda saw a few more blue macaws fly in, among them Carla and Bia.

"We have come to help," said Carla, "When we heard shouts of distress we knew that you lot had run into trouble."

"Our ravine entrance is around the other side," said Bia as she hovered with Lavender and Turquesa flanking her. Then Augustus flew in. "Thanks for coming in to help," he said, "But we have no time to talk. Let's get this lot into the ravine, quickly!"

And with that, Andromeda emitted a sequence of short, squeaky calls to call the others together. Then without wasting any more time, the group gathered together and resumed their hurried flight towards the entrance of the ravine. Tiago's group stopped their assault on the flying foxes and retreated after the others. Soon, the evacuees were swarming like colourful flies around the ravine's outskirts being guided by the Spix macaws, Andromeda, Eragon and Augustus and the other escorts.

"Everybody, THIS WAY!" called Eragon with a wave of his wing. The adolescents, young adult macaws, chicks and the parents carrying very young chicks and eggs followed, the other escorts flying around them and herding them like shepherds towards the ravine's entrance. However, the group was not out of danger yet for the group of flying foxes had given chase, having recovered from their surprised attack from Tiago's group.

Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Ash flew along with Edmund and some other green macaw chicks able to fly clinging onto them. Some of the chicks had linked talons and were flying in a chain. Miranda had Edmund gripped firmly in her talons while her four siblings, Aramis and Ash carried more chicks and a bag of a clutch of three eggs for a couple of military macaws who flew alongside them. Behind the enormous flock of birds, the flying foxes swooped down onto the forest floor, collected dozens of stones and began to viciously throw them at the group. Seconds later, stones and pebbles began to fly at the birds, forcing them to fly this way and that to dodge the missiles and protect the chicks and eggs from the flying rocks. Phoebe as she flew after Squawtagnan, Annette and Jasmine, saw one of the stones fly straight for a couple of Lear's macaws carrying a clutch of two eggs in a bag, its trajectory aiming straight for the bag. With an alarmed gasp, she darted in and knocked away the stone before it struck the bag of precious eggs and breaking them. Annette and Jasmine also deflected more stones by grabbing them and chucking them away while Squaw'tagnan spread his wing protectively across the macaw couple and their clutch. Amongst the group of red macaws, Io, Europa and Ganymede, Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos, Estelle, Sheldon and Byron were dodging more stones and protecting young scarlet and green-winged macaw chicks. Sheldon tackled into Io's side to help her dodge a flying stone as it aimed for her back, making the stone miss and strike the wall of the ravine. The stone then tumbled towards the forest floor. Alongside this group of red macaws, a group of blue-and-gold macaws, among them Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus and Porthos, Brooke and Bastian were carrying some archaeobird chicks and young blue-and-gold macaw chicks. They also dodged incoming stones flying from the flying foxes. Then Titan grabbed a nearby loose branch and began to deflect some of the stones back at the bats with it like a baseball bat. The flying foxes moved this way and that to avoid the deflected projectiles.

While Titan deflected some of the stones, Iapetus and Rhea joining in to help with a branch each, Ophiuchus on his bat-bird, Victor, Rosa and Clemont flew in with some projectiles or ideas of their own to slow down the bats: Ophiuchus and Rosa flew behind a flexible tree branch and bent it back while Victor took off his fruit-shell hat and Clemont held up a peashooter-like stick. Then as the group of flying foxes came within range, Victor tossed his fruit shell hat and Clemont fired some seeds at several more flying foxes while Ophiuchus and Rosa prepared to release the branch. As some of the bats flew right towards the branch, Ophiuchus and Rosa released it, sending the branch snapping back to its original position, whacking the flying foxes square in the faces or chests and stopping them dead. At the same time, Victor's hat flew at a muscular bat, bopping him on the head while three more flying foxes including the leader were pelted by the tiny seeds flying from Clemont's peashooter like bullets. The muscular bat, dazed, began to plummet and flap his wings clumsily, resulting in him spiralling downward while the three bats covered their faces with their wings as the seeds struck their faces and upper bodies. The bats struck by the branch also fell downward while Ophiuchus and Rosa took off, Clemont following as soon as his short supply of seeds ran out. Victor rushed to collect his hat and was the last to dart off after the others, moments before the stunned flying foxes recovered and resumed their chase. Triton, Indigo, Penelope and Trixie and Buddy hurried along, young macaws such as Violet and Matheus clutched firmly in their talons. Nearby, some glaucous macaws, among them Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden also hurried along, parents clutching the bags containing their precious eggs and chicks too young to fly while those able to fly beat their wings like mad. Neytiri then saw some small stones fly from one of the flying foxes towards Indigo and Violet. At this, she flew in and swiped them away with a wing, sending the little stones flying everywhere, thus saving Violet and Indigo from getting pelted.

Wilbur, Aurelio, Fernanda and Azul, together with some other blue-throated macaws, guided some of the smaller group birds along. However, one of the large flying foxes armed with a mace-like weapon managed to overtake them. The bat then took his position and raised his mace-like weapon as the blue-throated macaws approached him. As he brought it down, the macaws dodged, the porcupine quill ball narrowly missing Aurelio's head by inches. When he saw that he had missed his targets, the bat uttered a screech of frustration while Azul and his siblings and girlfriend, relieved, continued flying along with the others. Among the group of young blue-headed, chestnut-fronted and red-fronted macaws and golden parakeets, Kiawe, along with Amara and her family, and Mariposa, Citrine, Caspian, Alessandro and Rhiannon, under the guidance of Eustace, some Spix macaws, among them Tiago, and some archaeobirds flew along. Then one of the archaeobirds pulled out a leaf ball, one of the Cegador Powder balls produced by Andromeda's clan, and released it. The leaf ball filled with fungal powder and dirt flew towards the flying fox chasers and as soon as it struck one of them in the face, a yellowish powdery cloud exploded from the leaf as it broke open and released its contents, enveloping the bats and slowing them down as they began to cough and splutter.

"Nice move," shouted Mariposa at the archeaobird that had released the projectile, much to the latter's approving smile. The birds continued to fly around the outskirts of the Spix tribe's ravine until finally, the entrance appeared. Flanking the entrance were several Spix macaws, among them Justin, Charlotte and Mimi and as soon as they saw the colourful cloud, they began to usher them in. Then like a massive swarm of colourful insects, the chicks and their escorts rushed into the ravine and made a beeline for the waterfall cave, guided by some more Spix macaws. Augustus, Melissa, Orion and Andromeda hovered by to lead the other birds in while Stella and Luna flew off to join the chicks and everyone else.

"Go, go, go!" shouted Tiago as the birds continued to pile into the ravine. Behind the remaining birds, the flying foxes had recovered from the Cegador Powder attack and had continued their chase, despite the remnants of powder irritating their eyes and making them stream. The ringleader wore a look of inferno on her face.

"I'm gonna SLAUGHTER YOU FEATHERED WORMS ON THE SPOT!" she bellowed as she and the others rushed after the birds as they desperately hurried into the ravine.

"Hurry!" cried Andromeda as more birds rushed in. The birds continued to surge into the ravine and rush for the waterfall cave. Among them, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha also took refuge in the waterfall cave while Orion and Velocity hovered by the ravine entrance. Velocity had handed the injured Callisto to Ganymede and Mimas who then carried her off to the safety of the waterfall cave. The task was almost complete. However, just as the last of the birds were about to enter the ravine, something happened. At the back of the group, some of the flying foxes had managed to catch up. One of the bats darted straight for Alessandro's group and struck one of the chestnut-fronted macaw parents, the father, in the back with his stick, making him drop the bag containing his and his mate's clutch of eggs.

"NOOO!" cried his mate. At this, Caspian and Alessandro swooped down and caught the bag and its precious load before they could hit something hard and smash, killing the developing young inside. Caspian and Alessandro then darted off after the others, Caspian narrowly escaping impalement from another flying fox's sharp-stick as the bat attempted to ram the weapon through the young male golden conure's back. Then another bat, a large muscular male, swooped in and dived between Spyro, Bellerophon, Pandora, Hedor, Charon and Neytiri and their comrades, separating them from the others. Alarmed, the little group swerved from the rest like startled sheep from the rest of the flock and darted into a tree. Then the seven found themselves face to face with the massive bat, his face laced with sadistic mockery and his sharp-stick poised for the kill. This sent alarm surging through the others and a few stopped into a dead hover.

"SPYRO, BELLEROPHON, PANDORA, NO!" screeched Andromeda. Blueberry, Aiden, Quincy and Flor and some of the others also stopped into a horrified hover and shouted the others' names. Bellerophon, Pandora and hoatzin chick Hedor all emitted screams of terror as the evil bat, his devilish smile dripping with saliva, raised his sharp-stick, its sharp tip aiming for them and for Spyro, his bat-bird, Charon and Neytiri but before the bat's stick could skewer the group; the bat felt his stick plunge into something solid instead. As this, he looked up and to his surprise, he saw that Spyro, Neytiri and Charon had clasped onto it, furious looks on their faces. Behind them, Spyro's bat-bird cowered with Pandora, Bellerophon and Hedor as they whimpered timidly. The others looked on in astonishment as Neytiri, Spyro and Charon then yanked the sharp-stick out of the bat's wings. Neytiri then began to bash the bat over the head with his own sharp-stick while Charon sought to the four terrified members behind the trio. While Neytiri continued beating the bat over the head with his stick, Spyro leaped off the branch onto the bat's face. Then with an enraged screech, he began to score his claws across the bat's face, making him bolt and jerk in an attempt to dislodge the adolescent archaeobird while Neytiri threw away the bat's sharp-stick, disgust tearing through her when she saw the cluster of feather trophies tied to its other end. As the other flying foxes flew in, the bat finally snapped as Spyro's sickle-claw caught his nose. With an enraged screech, the bat bolted, throwing Spyro into the air. Then without hesitation, the enormous flying fox raised an enormous membranous wing and with all his might slapped the young archaeobird with it. Spyro shot through the air like a bullet, slammed hard into the tree trunk above his two younger siblings, Hedor and his bat-bird and slumped onto the branch's node (where it joined the tree trunk), unconscious.

"Spyro?" asked Bellerophon as his older brother lay there, out cold. Charon and Neytiri then began to attack the flying fox to protect the other five but were soon overpowered and knocked away, the flying fox slashing at Neytiri's face, missing her eyes by inches much to her alarm. Then the flying fox surged towards the other five, a snarl escaping his mouth while the other flying foxes went to attack Charon and Neytiri. Bellerophon and Pandora, at this, cowered with Hedor when suddenly, a metallic aqua blue blur shot in and tackled into the flying fox, knocking him away before he could harm the group on the branch. Bellerophon, Pandora and Hedor looked up and saw Spock on his bat-bird as he continued driving the bat away. Nearby, some archaeobirds, along with Mimi and Justin, had lashed at the flying foxes attacking Neytiri and Charon and had begun to attack them.

"GET AWAY FROM THESE LOT, YOU FILTHY BALLS OF FUR AND MEMBRANOUS WINGS!" bellowed Mimi stormily and with that, she slashed her claws over the chest of the ringleader, making her screech. Neytiri and Charon were then led away by Blueberry, Quincy, Flor and Aiden while Eragon, Ophiuchus and Honeydew rushed for the branch, seized Spyro, Bellerophon, Pandora, Hedor and the bat-bird and rushed off for the ravine entrance. Spock continued his savage attack on the bat until finally retreating after he had injured the bat's wings. Mimi, Justin and the archaeobirds with them also retreated after Spock. As they arrived at the ravine's entrance, Andromeda gave the good news as soon as Eragon, Ophiuchus, Honeydew and the remaining birds had passed through it.

"Okay, everyone's in the ravine!" cried Andromeda but then the group heard an enraged screech. At this, they turned and realised they had another problem: the flying foxes. The bats hovered before the group, thunderous looks on their faces. Orion and Velocity then dove into action.

"We'll lead them away," Orion shouted to Andromeda, Augustus, Melissa, Mimi, Justin and Tiago, "You lot take care of the evacuees."

Then without wasting any more time and before anyone could protest, the two falcons darted off while Andromeda, Augustus and the other three, though hesitant, retreated into the ravine. The flying foxes, blinded by immense rage then began to chase Orion and Velocity, still in their camouflage outfits, through the jungle, their rage directed at them instead.

As the last of the chicks and adolescents entered the ravine's waterfall cave, Ganymede gently lowered Callisto into one of the nests built from moss while Io and Europa placed Amalthea and Oliver into another nest with three other chicks. Callisto then began to come round. As she did so, she felt agonising pain shoot from her head, the area where she had been hit.

"Ow!" she barked and raised her wing to the impact area. However, she felt that it was wet. Ganymede then called for some nurses to come and help Callisto. In response, Tyler and Ricardo came in with Aurora, some medical plants they had stocked during the food gathering stage. Ganymede then gently moved Callisto's wing to the side to allow the three in-training nurses to access her injury, which was bleeding. Io and Europa came in.

"That bat didn't half whack her on the head," said Io in shock at the injury on Callisto's head, "When Rosa was struck like this, she ended up with a large bruise but this…"

She gazed at the bleeding wound on Callisto's head as Aurora began to apply some damp moss to clear away the blood. Ganymede gazed at his sister as she winced in pain from Aurora's treatment. He could not believe what his entire family had been through. Io and Europa, along with Estelle, Alexandre, Byron and Sheldon, had been beaten up by a group of flying foxes when trying to rescue Alfonso and several other macaws and had suffered a few cuts and bruises and a tattered left wing. However, though she was still able to fly, Io had required help in doing so due to the missing few feathers in her left wing. Ganymede himself had almost died in the invaded Bluewing Clan's territory along with Saturn, Clemont and Serena if it weren't for Augustus and his family's intervention, his mother had almost died from the trauma of being put through the cruellest torture in the flying foxes' territory, and now Callisto had been struck on the head a while ago. And now his father was out in the battlefield, fighting against Cicatriz and Iracebeth's army with so many other macaws. While Ganymede swayed at the shock of the horrors his family and the others had been through, around him, the other birds settled down, the hyacinth macaws nearest to the waterfall. All the chicks and young adolescents were badly shaken from almost getting slaughtered by the evil bats but they were now in the safety of the waterfall cave for the remaining duration of the war. While Eduardo who watched over Chilro, Ophelia, Luke, Linda, Azurite and Aquamarine, the youngest chicks of Roberto, Brisa, Blu, Jewel, Zephyr and Venus helped some of the macaws and other birds to settle down, he heard the sounds of membranous wing flaps. At this, he turned and to his astonishment, he saw Augustus and Melissa fly towards the waterfall cave's entrance. Eduardo took off after them after apologising to a blue-throated macaw family and intercepted the couple.

"Where are you two going!?" he demanded.

"We're gonna go out to the battlefield and help the other macaws and birds," replied Augustus, "Melissa knows a group of birds who were happy to help us."

"And we're gonna go out and meet them if Jupiter hadn't done so already," added Melissa. At this, Eduardo's eyes flashed with confusion. Then Carla, Bia and Tiago, along with Kira, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Tyler and Ricardo came up.

"What group of birds!?" demanded Carla. At this, Diantha took off and flew over to the group of macaws to explain.

"We don't have much time to explain," said Augustus, "We'd better be off."

"Can you look after Sebastian, Stella and Luna and all the birds for us while we're gone?" asked Melissa. Then before the two flying foxes could leave, Andromeda's voice rang out.

"Wait," she called. At this, Augustus and Melissa turned and to their surprise, Andromeda and dozens of other archaeobirds, among them Anakin, Spock, Eragon, Ophiuchus and Honeydew, came up to him on their bat-bird mounts. All the living fossil birds wore determined looks on their faces.

"We're gonna help out too," said Andromeda.

"Mom, No!" called Spyro from the huge colourful crowd of birds.

"B-b-but Andromeda," protested Carla, "You and your clan _hate_ war and fighting."

"Going into a battlefield is the last thing we'd expect you lot to go," said Bia.

"You lot are peaceful loving birds," added Tiago. The others nodded in agreement. Suddenly, the group flinched as Andromeda's stern gaze pierced them, specifically Carla, Bia and Tiago.

"That is true, young Spix macaws," said she, "But since those flying foxes have caused you and us a massive heap of trouble over the past few days, going as far as to threaten us with an invasion on our homes and driving us out, we are going to help out on the battlefield."

Then she nodded to Augustus and Melissa, who hovered there, reluctant to allow a group of bizarre birds who cannot fly by themselves like the majority of other birds could. Based on this, the two flying foxes were concerned for their safety but then Augustus relented.

"Alright, but be warned," his face turned stern, "Some of those flying foxes, particularly my brother Cicatriz and his mate Iracebeth, are _extre-e-e-emly_ dangerous."

"Iracebeth has killed a harpy eagle by herself once before so she is an excellent fighter," added Melissa. Then before Andromeda could ask any questions, Eduardo commanded them to leave.

"You lot be careful out there," said the former Spix tribe patriarch, "We'll look after the rest of your clan members."

Augustus and Melissa then gazed at the crowd of birds, their eyes which were filled with untold gratitude and gratefulness at the two bats' heroic efforts despite the thoughts of their families apart from a few, beaming back at them. Smiling, Augustus and Melissa nodded to Andromeda and her group and within moments, the group had exited the waterfall cave but not before saying goodbye to the birds and that they will see them again after the war. The two flying foxes and the group of archaeobirds and their bat-bird mounts then ascended towards one of the clifftops of the ravine and then disappeared over the cliff, heading for the Pit of Games and the area where the great battle was taking place.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38- rising panic levels**

 **Meanwhile**

Cometa, Lightning, Travis, Sunset, Rafael, Eva, Nico, Sparkle, Pedro and Rose continued flying at high speed through the trees in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine, worries for their grown-up offspring and Clemont and Serena burning like a fire accompanied by a torrent of images of them in the worst possible situations, such as seriously injured, flashing in their minds as they assumed the worst. The larger birds flew on ahead while the two canaries and two cardinals who were smaller and could not fly as fast, began to lag behind.

"Wait, you lot!" called Pedro as the gap between him and the other three and the larger birds ahead grew larger and larger, before entering a puffing and panting episode.

"Slow down!" called Nico.

"You're gonna give us some muscle strains!" cried Rose as she beat her small wings furiously.

"You know we can't fly as fast as you!" added Sparkle before the urge to gasp for breath overtook her. The falcons, toucans and cockatoos, however, did not hear and continued accelerating on ahead.

"Oh, I hope our son and daughter aren't in any danger!" cried Cometa stressfully.

"Clemont and Serena's parents are NEVER gonna forgive us if anything has happened to either of them!" barked Travis.

"This is honestly NO DIFFERENT from when Milo and Velocity snuck off to Guyana with Carla, Bia, Tiago and some other macaws a few years ago!" added Sunset.

"If any of those bats have done ANYTHING to our offspring or any of our friends least of all our Orion and Velocity," snarled Lightning volcanically, "I'm gonna FLAY 'EM ALIVE!"

Rafael and Eva also fretted for Diantha and her safety, much to the surprise of Travis and he shot them a frown. Why were they worried about one of their daughters, when they've got more than seventy other offspring to worry about? As far as their offspring was concerned, Diantha was one of the very few offspring of Rafael and Eva who was not naughty or very mischievous, and certainly not intent on breeding like rabbits. 'At least a few of Rafael and Eva's kids know some sense,' thought Travis.

"Are we near the Spix tribe's ravine yet?" called Sunset. Cometa scanned the rainforest with her telescopic eyes until they landed on a sliver of sandy brown on top of a line of trees.

"Over there," she called. With that, the group rocketed on. Behind the six larger birds, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose continued flapping and gasping, the gap between them and the other six continuously widening. However, they felt a surge of relief when they heard Cometa's words.

"We're almost… at the… Spix tribe's… ravine," cried Pedro between breaths.

"Oh, brilliant," cried Sparkle.

"Hopefully Eustace and the others includin' Lightning and his love-hawk's two are present in there, safe and sound as well," said Nico. Sparkle tittered but then the two canaries flinched when they found themselves at the receiving end of a piercing glare from two pairs of bulbous eyes for this comment had not gone unheard despite the distance between the two groups.

"We're NOT hawks," snapped one of them, Cometa. Lightning nodded in agreement. However, Nico and Sparkle smiled innocently.

"Just jokin'," said Nico. However, the peregrine falcons did not look amused.

Sparkle whispered into Nico's ear, "I don't like those two, my love. Their hearing must be as awesome as their sight."

Suddenly, the six larger birds abruptly braked into a hover. The canaries and cardinals, puzzled at what made Cometa, Lightning, Rafael, Eva, Travis and Sunset brake so suddenly, also slowed down, taking a minute to catch their breath.

"Do you guys hear that?" asked Lightning. At this, the others' ears cocked to listen. It sounded like a squawk. Two squawks actually.

"Sounds like a pair of falcons in the distance," said Pedro.

"Falcons?" repeated Sunset.

"You mean peregrines?" asked Travis. At this, Cometa and Lightning felt a small wave of hope coursing through them. However, that hope turned immediately to dread when they heard what was in the falcon squawks as they got louder. They sounded in _distress_.

"Sounds like those falcons are trying to escape from something," said Sparkle.

"Like a harpy eagle or some other predator?" asked Nico. It was then that Eva saw a flash of movement through a large gap in the trees.

"Guys, LOOOK!" she cried and pointed a wing. At this, Cometa, Lightning, Travis, Sunset, Nico, Pedro, Rafael, Sparkle and Rose followed the keel-billed toucan's point and when their eyes landed on the movement, horror tore through them, especially Cometa and Lightning. Flying through the gaps in the treetops, two falcons, Velocity and Orion, their mud suits partially washed off revealing patches of their natural slate grey plumage and ivory undersides dotted with black spots and streaks through the layer of brown, flashed glances of terror behind them as their pursuers exploded from between some trees. Their pursuers, the group of flying foxes the falcons had led away from the Spix tribe's ravine, continued beating their wings furiously and rocketing after them. Their faces were twisted into apoplectic looks and their weapons were poised for attacking the falcons, and their mouths were spewing venomous threats at the two falcons.

"We're gonna SKIN YA ALIVE FOR MESSIN' UP OUR TASK and ALLOWIN' OUR TARGETS TO ESCAPE, you GOOD-FOR-NOTHING FEATHERED SLIME-MOULDS!" bellowed the ringleader and with that, she accelerated towards the two peregrines, her sharp-stick aimed right for Orion while the other flying foxes also screeched their enraged threats. With a screech of terror each, Orion and Velocity swerved sharply upward and began to ascend through the upper canopy and out into the open air above the treetops, the flying foxes in hot pursuit. On-looking animals watched in surprise as they saw a group of comets rise through the canopy. The two falcons then began to fly straight towards Travis and the others when their terror-filled eyes landed on them. At first, sheer terror blinded the two falcons from recognising the group but then Velocity managed to peer through a gap in the cloud as recognition of four of the birds, particularly the two falcons, pierced through her terror.

As the two falcons came within range, Travis recognised the pair based on the patches of slate grey and black spot-and-streaked ivory in their suits of mud. However, they did not see the pursuers behind the falcons.

"Orion, Velocity!" Travis cried. Cometa, Lightning and the others looked on as the two falcons shot past them.

"FLY FOR IT!" cried Orion. At this, the group of falcons, toucans, cockatoos, canaries and cardinals, confused, turned round, just in time to face a group of black and red creatures rushing towards them, their weapons slashing through the air. The group then found themselves gazing into around two dozen pairs of eyes surrounded by red with drips below them. In those eyes were murderous bloodlust and unspeakable rage. The creatures' wings swept out like large black cloaks, red wing-finger streaks on their undersides.

"LOOK OUT!" screeched Velocity. Lightning, Cometa, Rafael, Eva, Travis, Sunset, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose continued to hover there; transfixed by immense surprise as the enormous bats that were almost twice the size of Travis and Sunset continued advancing towards them, their sharp-stick and other weapons slashing through the air. Then at the last minute, Travis, Cometa, Lightning, Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Rose and Sparkle snapped out of their gazes and dived down. However, Sunset continued hovering there, her horrified eyes glued to the incoming bats as they continued advancing towards her, the point of the sharp-stick belonging to the ringleader charging towards her.

"Sunset, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" cried Orion. However, Sunset did not react to Orion's shouts as the sharp-stick of the ringleader bat continued advancing towards her, aiming for the right side of her torso. Then the next minute, Sunset's blood flew into the air as the sharp-stick hit home, accompanied by the agonised screech of a Major Mitchell's cockatoo.

"SUNSEEEEET!" screeched Orion and Velocity at the same time while the others, especially Travis, screamed in terror.

 **Meanwhile**

Augustus and Melissa charged through the canopy in the direction of the battlefield and the warring birds and flying foxes, Andromeda and a number of her clan-members close behind on their bat-bird mounts. On the way, Andromeda and company had gathered some brightly coloured fruit and pollen paint and had decorated their faces and bodies as war paint but not in the same way the flying foxes had done. Instead, the archaeobirds had painted a series of streaks on their foreheads, cheeks, upper bodies and wings in a way that made them look fiercer. The archaeobirds also carried weapons of their own consisting of sticks and rocks which they had also gathered during the rush. As the group tore through the trees, Augustus and Melissa caught sighted a flash of vermillion, yellow and teal through the clutter of branches and leaves. At this, they turned their heads.

"Jupiter," called Melissa to the vermillion, teal and yellow form, "I see you've got the secret group!"

Jupiter stood on a branch with dozens and dozens of mysteriously cloaked creatures with him. These creatures wore leafy hooded cloaks covering their entire heads and bodies. Andromeda and the other archaeobirds looked on in surprise.

"Who are those creatures?" she asked Augustus and Melissa.

"They're dressed just like us," said Eragon. He then realised that the cloaked forms did not have bat-birds with them.

"No time to explain," replied Melissa, "Our feathered allies on the battlefield need our help, NOW!"

Turning to Jupiter, Melissa shouted, "We'll see you on the battlefield, Jupiter, Fidel, Marcus, Ana, the rest of you."

Ophiuchus mouthed the names. Jupiter, with one of the mysteriously cloaked and hooded figures with a pair of eyes peering out from the hood but no beak waved to Augustus and Melissa as they and the archaeobirds disappeared into the trees. Then one of the cloaked figures asked Jupiter, "What sort of birds are those creatures?"

"And those beaked bats they are riding on," added another, a female.

"They're creatures we have never seen before," added another, a beak below his eyes just visible in the hood's shadow.

Jupiter gazed at them. "No time to explain," he said, "Let's go!"

And with that the air shuddered with the sounds of wing flaps, most of them feathered and the rest membranous winged, as the group disappeared and followed Augustus and Melissa and Andromeda's group.

Back on the battlefield, the war between the flying foxes and the macaws and other birds continued to rage. Weapons continued to clash, beaks and talons continued tearing at flying fox flesh while flying fox teeth and claws continued to slash at bird flesh or tear out feathers. As the flying foxes neared the shooter's range, Alessandro's parents, Murphy and Abigail, gave the signal for the other small macaws and other birds to arm their slingshots. Then at their signal, the parakeets, small macaws, toucans and other birds sent their projectiles flying. Small stones, hard fruit shells and balls of mud flew from the slingshots as twangs snapped at the air and soured into the increasingly stormy sky. Then like hailstones, the projectiles began to rain down on the flying foxes. Screeches of agony and surprise erupted from the bats as the various projectiles hit their targets and some of them began to fall out of the air and plummet through the canopy. Then many of the smaller birds took off, taking more projectiles with them, and flew over the battlefield. Then as soon as they were above more flying foxes, they sent more stones, fruit shells and mud balls flying at the bats, striking down more enemy fighters. However some of the flying foxes struck back. One of them, Shinzon, gathered together some of his allies and together, the bats surged towards the shooters, their weapons ready to inflict damage. The shooters upon seeing the incoming bats began to retreat at Murphy and Abigail's squawk.

"Fall back!" cried Murphy and with that, the shooters charged back towards the other shooters who armed their slingshots. While the small birds began to fire more projectiles at Shinzon's group, Mars and Chiquitita drove some bats into a tree trunk and struck each of them on the head to knock them out. The two green-winged macaws then began to have a breather.

"Can you see Iracebeth anywhere?" asked Mars as he panted.

"No, but she could be anywhere," replied Chiquitita. Suddenly, more bats surrounded the pair and the two macaws prepared for action. Somewhere in the crowd of warring birds and bats, Iracebeth continued to advance through the crowd, looking for a pair of macaws in mind. Not too far away, Jewel, Roberto, Zephyr, Venus, Brisa and Maximillian, with Uranus, Saturn and Neptune, Alonso, Soleado and Flavio near them, continued viciously attacking more bats.

"What's taking Jupiter so long!?" asked Venus as she slashed her claws across a flying fox's face.

"I don't know but I hope he's okay," replied Zephyr as he struck another bat in the stomach with his stick, knocking him down. Neptune then lashed out at another flying fox and seized his sharp-stick. In the ensuing struggle for the weapon, Alonso, Soleado and Roberto jumped in to help. The four birds wrestled with the flying fox for the sharp-stick until finally, Neptune yanked it from his grasp and tossed it to one side before Soleado delivered the knockout blow in the form of a headbutt to the forehead, his beak striking that spot. Dazed, the flying fox fell out of the air and onto a branch. Soleado looked down at his foe scornfully.

"I hope aa very ugly bump forms in that place where I struck you, furball," he spat. The fight continued to rage and Jewel began to call back some of the birds.

"Back!" she cried and with that, the spots of colour began to retreat from the sea of black and red. The flying foxes gave chase. However, the macaws came within range of the shooters who loaded their slingshots again and at Abigail and Murphy's signal, sent more stones and fruit shells flying. Felipe and some of his red macaws also threw more Brazil nuts at the bats. More flying foxes were struck by the flying weapons and knocked down. However, Iracebeth ordered her minions to stop, making the flying projectiles miss them. Then Monique flew in and looked around until her eyes landed on Iracebeth. Her eyes burning with the bitterest and most vitriolic hatred she had ever harboured especially after what the bats had done to her mate Waldo, and Valentino and some other macaws of the Lear's macaw tribe as well as so many other birds, Monique released an extremely enraged screech before charging towards the flying fox colony matriarch, her stick in talon, fuelled by an enormous firestorm of vengeance that burned like the previous fire that tore through the Sanctuary de Amazon several years ago. Jewel watched her fly towards Iracebeth.

"STOOOOP!" she cried but Monique did not hear her, the flames of vengeance completely deafening her.

As Monique surged towards Iracebeth, several bats launched a defensive counterattack on the Lear's tribe matriarch to prevent her from reaching the colony matriarch, but Monique, fuelled by unspeakable rage, fought back full force and rather bloodily. She savagely whacked some bats with her stick, sending them flying and crashing into either other bats or the branches below, some of them receiving nasty injuries, before Monique scored her talons across the faces and chests of more bats as they came in to attack, inflicting deep gashes and drawing quite a bit of blood. Then Cruella appeared out of nowhere and pounced onto Monique's back. She then wrapped her membranous wings around the Lear's macaw's neck and began to try and strangle her. However, Monique, the flames of wrath and vengeance burning furiously within her, surged towards a nearby branch and crashed into it back first, crushing Cruella between herself and the branch. Cruella emitted a piercing screech of agony as the force of the impact damaged her internally. Then Monique bolted to lift Cruella into the air, seized Cruella's sharp-stick from her foot claws with a talon and then plunged it right through Cruella's chest as she came back down, inflicting the fatal blow. Cruella screeched in pain, plummeted towards a nearby tree and slammed into one of its branches, dead. Then Monique continued her enraged and vengeful advancement towards Iracebeth, her stick ready to inflict injury. Then as she neared the evil colony matriarch, Monique raised her stick and tried to slam it into Iracebeth's face, screeching as loud as she could, but Iracebeth ducked, making the stick soar over her face by inches. Monique was then thrown off balance by the weight of the stick but the miss did not deter her from the determination to batter Iracebeth. Jewel looked on as Monique recovered and tried to whack Iracebeth again but then Iracebeth twirled her prized weapon, her flail sharp-stick, in her foot claws elegantly like how humans would twirl a baton in their fingers, and slashed the stick across Monique's belly, sending the flail ball's porcupine quill and piranha teeth spikes raking through the macaw's navy blue feathers and skin, sending drops of blood flying into the air much to Jewel's extreme horror.

 **Meanwhile**

Sunset plummeted like an injured pigeon through the canopy, the branches striking her and braking her fall. Travis, Orion, Velocity, Cometa, Lightning, Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose dived down after the injured Major Mitchell's cockatoo as she crash-landed onto a thick branch. Sunset clasped the injured area with her wings, a red patch forming on her greying pale pink wing feathers at an alarming rate. Her face was twisted in extreme agony and her red and yellow banded crest was flared fully. The other birds surrounded her and Travis rushed to her side, shouting Sunset's name in extreme terror. Sunset rotated her head in his direction, her agonised gaze fixing on him while the others looked on with horrified looks. Rafael checked the growing red patch on her wing feathers.

"She's been badly injured," he said in alarm, "We've got to get her to a vet's place, NOW!"

"But we're in the middle of nowhere!" cried Cometa. Then Lightning remembered the hospital.

"Let's get her to the sanctuary hospital, QUICKLY," he shouted but before the group could pick up the injured Sunset, shadowy figures cloaked the group. At this, the birds' gazes all turned skyward and landed on a group of hovering black dog-faced figures with red markings and membranous wings, their eyes glazed with the most sadistic and bloodthirsty looks Travis's group had ever seen. Weapons were held in their foot claws and their mouths were stretched right across their faces into sadistic grins. Travis then felt a massive flash of outrage flare within him like a blaze of fire when he saw a glistening red liquid, Sunset's blood, on the tip of one of the sharp-sticks of the flying foxes. Orion and Velocity came in.

"They're some of those horrible flying foxes that despise us birds," Orion explained, "As you can see, they're armed with those weapons."

"Their gazes remind me of that horrible cockatoo Nigel," said Rafael, his blood turning to ice at the sight of the devilish looks on the flying foxes' gaze.

"Ten times worse than Nigel's, actually," said Eva. Nico and Pedro then huddled together and shuddered while Rose and Sparkle dived behind Cometa. Then Lightning turned his attention back to the wounded Sunset.

"Let's get her out of here, NOW!" he said.

"But what about Eustace and the others?" protested Rafael, his glance flashing at Orion and Velocity. The group flinched and gazed up at the group of flying foxes as they released enraged screeches and shook their weapons at the group threateningly. This meant that the group was faced with a decision: either fly away with Sunset with the bats in pursuit or splitting up to lead the bats away while Sunset was transported to the hospital. Orion chose the latter option.

"I know, we'll lead those bats away while you take Sunset to the hospital," he said.

"WHAT!?" retorted Rafael. Suddenly, one of the flying foxes dived down at the group with an enraged, murderous screech, its mace-like weapon aiming straight for Eva.

"Eva, look OUT!" cried Rafael but before he could dive at his keel-billed toucan mate, Eva, consumed by extreme fear, opened her beak and released the most ear-piercing screech Travis, Sunset, Orion, Velocity, Lightning, Cometa and the four smaller birds had ever heard. Wings flew to their ears as Eva's glass-shattering screams shook the air violently. The flying foxes' membranous wings flew to their ears and their mouths released screams of agony as Eva's screech shook their ears to breaking point. The one nearest to Eva and the others got the brunt of it and actually vibrated with the high-pitched note like a tuning fork. The weapons held by the flying foxes were also released and they rained down through the canopy. Eva's voice practically carried for miles and some small birds were startled into flight by the scream as it echoed throughout the trees. The scream also reached the Spix tribe's ravine, alerting some of the birds in there, among them Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha.

"Did you hear that?" asked Eustace to the others. Then after a few more seconds, Eva stopped screaming, allowing the others to remove their wings from their ears. The flying foxes hovered there, stunned as their ears rang.

"Man, that was some scream," cried Nico, his ears ringing.

"That sure was high enough to shatter any human object made of glass within a good radius, that's for sure," said Pedro. Orion and Velocity saw the stunned flying foxes as the continued rubbing their ears despite their own ears ringing.

"Let's get out of here before those lot recover," said Orion. Seeing that the flying foxes were distracted, Cometa commanded Rafael, Travis, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose to seize Sunset and make a break for it while the falcons sought to the flying foxes. At this, the said birds obeyed and immediately grabbed Sunset, who was in immense agony with her injury weeping more blood onto her wings, and darted off into the trees in the direction of the hospital while Orion, Cometa, Lightning and Velocity turned to face the flying foxes who prepared to fight the birds. However, the flying foxes, especially the ringleader, had realised that they were missing one crucial thing they almost always used for combating birds as the four falcons, their bulbous eyes ignited by flames of fury, fixed on them. Without their weapons, the flying foxes were virtually defenceless.

"Oh, no," hissed the ringleader as the four falcons' wings prepared to open.

Back in the ravine of the Spix macaw tribe, in the cave behind the waterfall, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha continued to ponder over the scream that they had heard. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and several other macaws walked in.

"What scream?" asked Carla.

"But we just heard it," said Eustace, "It sounded like a scream of terror. It was extremely shrill, loud and high-pitched enough to shatter human things made from glass such as windows."

The others gazed back at him in confusion but then a few of them, among them Charlotte who stood with Músculo, deduced the owner of that scream. There was only one bird they knew to have a very screechy voice.

"That sounds like…" began Charlotte.

"Eva, Rafael's keel-billed toucan mate," said Tiago, finishing Charlotte's sentence. At this, Diantha shot Eustace a flabbergasted look.

"That was my mom?" she asked.

"But how can that be?" asked Milo incredulously, "She and Rafael are back in Rio."

"I wouldn't have thought those city birds would want to have come here while the war between us and the flying foxes is going on, that's for sure," said Eduardo nearby.

"If they are," said Carla, "Then they'd end up caught in the crossfire, just like how you guys did."

"Especially after Orion was almost killed by a group of them just at the beginning of all of this," said Bia. Clemont and Rosa shuddered at the memory of Orion having a very close shave with a group of those bats during his phone call to Blu back in the beginning and had hoped that he and Velocity were alright in their leading of those bats away now. While the group talked about Rafael and Eva and the ridiculous possibility of them coming to the sanctuary with the Attack of the Flying Fox War going on, a short screech erupted from one of the hyacinth macaws standing closest to the edge of the waterfall. At this, all the others snapped their gaze to the hyacinth macaw and converged towards him.

"What is it?" asked Carla. The hyacinth macaw, a look of dread on his face, pointed to something on one of the clifftops. At this, Carla, Bia and Tiago rushed to the entrance to the waterfall cave and peered around the curtain of falling water, Justin, Kira, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Músculo close behind. When their eyes landed on what the hyacinth macaw had spotted, their hearts plunged into ice-cold water.

"No," whispered Carla in disbelief; her cerulean feathers on end. Some others, among them Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan, Jojo, Felix and Lavender, came round.

"Carla," said Phoebe.

"What is it that you have spotted?" asked Jasmine. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira gazed back at the group, the colour drained from the skin under their faces. Then Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Músculo turned to the hyacinth macaws in charge of the chicks and the parents clutching their under flight aged chicks and eggs.

"Everyone, get back from the waterfall, now!" cried Justin. At this, a shuffle of large navy blue birds sounded as the hyacinth macaws began to shift further back into the cave. Carla also commanded the macaws eligible to fight forward while Bia, Tiago and Justin and his sibling went right to calm everyone down. Eduardo and Mimi also helped. Further back into the large cave, the other birds commanded their chicks to keep quiet while some of them moved to allow the most vulnerable hyacinth macaws to move back from the curtain of water. Outside, a few dozen black forms with red markings, all armed with weapons such as sharp-sticks then descended from the clifftop and into the ravine, their bloodthirsty eyes beginning to scan the Spix tribe's ravine for any flash of colourful feathers.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39- surprising turns of events**

 **Meanwhile**

Iracebeth glared sadistically at Monique as she lay on the branch, clutching her slashed belly where the flail-spike ball had made contact during the evil bat's attack on her, before leaving to inflict injuries on more macaws. A number of Lear's macaws and other macaws gathered around Monique as she lay on the branch, her wings clutching her injured belly with her face twisted into a pained look. As Iracebeth advanced through the crowd of fighting birds and bats, squawks rang out above her. Two hyacinth macaws one of them named Pedro, the father of Victor, upon seeing her, fluttered up into the air and then dived down at the evil bat, their talons poised to slash the colony matriarch. However, Iracebeth twirled her flail sharp-stick and somersaulted as the two enormous navy blue birds approached her. She slashed one hyacinth macaw, Pedro, across the face with her foot claws and then fatally stabbed the second in the torso with her sharp-stick as both swooped over her. The hyacinth macaw screeched loudly before careening into a branch, crashing into it and then slamming into some smaller macaws, among them a few blue-throated macaws including Cobalto. The stunned macaws managed to regain their balance after the hyacinth macaw's corpse slammed into them and Cobalto flashed a stunned glance at Iracebeth as she moved on.

Jewel then began to look around and saw more macaws get knocked down by their furry enemies. One Spix macaw was struck in the stomach by a club-like weapon from one of the bats while two green macaws, one great green and the other military, were stabbed by another bat. Alarmed as she noticed the flying foxes beginning to overpower the macaws, Jewel turned to Blu, Zephyr, Venus, Brisa, Roberto, Felipe and Mars as they continued fighting more flying foxes when one of them managed to break through the group's teamwork and whack Brisa in the belly. Brisa collapsed onto a branch.

"BRISA!" cried Zephyr as the others gathered around her.

"They're too powerful and skilled!" cried Brisa as she clutched her battered stomach where she had been hit.

"Guys," cried Jewel, attracting the attention of the group, "You'd better get outa here," she turned to drive off a sharp-stick armed bat, "Call together the other macaws… the smaller long-range shooters… and get them out of here before anyone else gets hurt!"

Then she turned and began to deflect another flying fox's attempts to whack her with her stick by clashing it with its club-like stick. Blu looked on in surprise.

"You heard Eddie's daughter and your mate, let's go!" shouted Felipe, shoving into him to get him moving. Zephyr, Venus, Brisa, Roberto and Mars then hurried along, followed by Blu and Felipe. However, Blu stopped and gazed at Iracebeth as she struck down a group of red and blue-and-gold macaws with her flail-like weapon as they tried to attack her, before moving on once again, leaving her victims to grasp their bloodied wounds. Blu's eyes fixated on Iracebeth's weapon, gazing at the bloodstained sharp-stick and ball of piranha teeth and porcupine spines attached to it via some coconut fibres like the spike ball of a flail from the European Middle Ages he had seen in a book at Linda's new bookstore in Rio, as well as the cluster of feather trophies Iracebeth had harvested from her previous kills, including a ragged slate grey feather from a harpy eagle. Blu's eyes then traced Iracebeth's path and when he saw who she was heading for, he drew in a sharp gasp of horror. The evil colony matriarch was heading straight for Jewel and she was too engrossed in fighting another bat to notice the imminent danger she was about to face.

"What are you waiting for, Blu?" asked Mars.

"Jewel said get out of here," said Felipe. Blu shot the two and Venus, Zephyr, Roberto and Brisa a glare before darting off.

"Not when she's in imminent danger," he retorted and shot off to confront Iracebeth, despite the protests from his friends.

"Blu, get back here!" shouted Zephyr. "Blu, Blu? BLU!"

However, Blu ignored him and flew on. Stunned at his defiance, Zephyr turned and flew away with Venus, Mars, Felipe, Brisa and Roberto to help the other macaws get out of here. Blu rocketed through the sea of warring birds and bats, dodging a few flying weapons as either bird or bat struck their opponent and made them fling their weapons away. Blu's eyes remained fixated on Iracebeth as she continued advancing towards Jewel who was still engrossed in combating another flying fox.

"You're NOT gonna make one of MY MATE'S feathers part of your collection of trophies, you brutish HAG!" snarled Blu under his breath. He passed by a flying fox as it towered over a defenceless and wounded glaucous macaw, its sharp-stick ready to impale the bird, a look of sadistic triumph lacing its face. Blu came by, picked up a discarded sharp-stick and struck the bat on the head to save the glaucous macaw with its unsharpened end for drawing blood was not in his nature unless it was absolutely necessary. The bat, stunned by the blow, fell off the branch and plummeted down onto another branch, where it lay there, out cold. The glaucous macaw flashed a thankful glance at Blu who nodded in approval before moving on.

Iracebeth was seconds away from Jewel now and as she closed in on her target, the evil matriarch raised her flail sharp-stick and aimed its sharpened tip for Jewel's back as she was forced back by her other opponent but before the evil bat could skewer Jewel with her weapon, an extremely loud squawk sounded above her. At this, Iracebeth snapped her gaze upward in time to see another blue macaw, his brown eyes ablaze with fury, jump in and attempt to hit her on the head with the weapon he had collected. However, Iracebeth dodged, making Blu miss. Blu then glared viciously at Iracebeth who glared back at her with a stunned face. However, Iracebeth's face flashed immediately to a look of outrage and she lunged at Blu with her weapon. However the quick-thinking Blu raised his stick and blocked the blow, before raising his talons, wrapping them around the shaft of Iracebeth's stick and began to pull the weapon out of Iracebeth's wings with all his might. However, Iracebeth clutched onto it to prevent the Spix macaw from yanking it out of her grasp, resulting in an ensuing struggle. As the Spix macaw and wicked bat continued wrestling over the flail sharp-stick, Blu's beak went straight for the coconut fibres connecting the spike ball to the stick and clamped hard onto it. This done, Blu pulled on the spike ball's attachment as hard as he could, much to Iracebeth's horrified glare. Then after another jerk of the weapon by Iracebeth as she attempted to dislodge it from Blu's grasp, the ripping of coconut fibres was heard and before Iracebeth knew it, the spike ball was separated from the stick. Strands of coconut fibres gently fluttered down from Blu's beak as Blu released the strands, while the spike ball careened down through the canopy. Blu's eyes then travelled to the cluster of prized feathers from Iracebeth's trophy collection attached to the other end of the stick. Disgust flaring within him, Blu lurched at it, closed his beak onto the cluster and tore them from the stick as well, before spitting the whole lot from his beak. The feathers were then sent into a gentle dance through the canopy, the ragged harpy eagle feather disappearing into a cluster of leaves. Iracebeth released an extremely loud screech of horror as she watched her prized possessions continue to descend and spread through the branches, alerting Jewel. When she saw who was near Iracebeth, a horrified gasp entered her beak.

Iracebeth's horrified look then flashed to a look of volcanic outrage as she eyed Blu as he spit out the last of her trophy feathers. With what was left of her weapon, Iracebeth attempted to skewer Blu with it but Blu blocked it with his stick and while the stick was locked with Iracebeth's, Blu forced both of them back over Iracebeth's head, making Iracebeth lean backwards much to her surprise. Jewel watched on as Blu continued combating Iracebeth; he withdrew his stick and prepared to whack her in the stomach. However, before the stick could connect; Blu felt his stick get caught in something. At this, he gazed at what caught his stick and when he saw that it were Iracebeth's feet, for Iracebeth had immediately raised them to block the stick from whacking her in the belly, Blu flinched in horror. What's worse, he had underestimated the evil bat matriarch's fighting skills. Iracebeth's wings then darted in, seized the stick and then yanked it out of Blu's wings. Then Iracebeth tossed the stick aside and proceeded to attack Blu. Blu, stunned, watched the stick spin away but then he felt a bundle of fur and membranous wings charge into his side. With a horrified gasp, Blu found himself heading straight towards the branch as Iracebeth shoved him, in a tackling position with her head rammed into the macaw's left side, towards it. Blu did not have time to react when Iracebeth brutally rammed him into the outstretched branch, catching his right wing between it and his body. Blu then felt the most excruciating pain explode from his right wing following a sickening crack during its crush and emitted an ear-piercing shrill of agony, Iracebeth's eyes flooded with the most acidic scorn and sadism, gazing at him as she relished the agonised screeches of her opponent. Blu's name exploded from Jewel's beak as Iracebeth then backed away, making Blu drop from the branch onto another one below. As he flopped onto the branch, Blu's left wing went to his right and clutched it while his face twisted into one of extreme agony.

"MY WIIIING!" he bellowed, much to Iracebeth's sadistic and maniacal cackle, saliva flying from her mouth. Jewel's teal eyes darted from her injured mate to the evil bat colony matriarch as she continued cachinnating at Blu's injury and agony. That did it. Jewel's temper volcanically exploded like Krakatoa and consumed her entirely like flames consuming a dried tree in a split-second. Jewel raised her stick and struck down the opponent she had been battling before charging like a cerulean comet towards Iracebeth, an extremely loud screech of pure rage erupting from her beak. Iracebeth then dived down and seized another sharp-stick thrown aside by another flying fox and then proceeded to advance towards Jewel. Then as soon as the two females clashed, Jewel began the most brutal and savage fight she had ever had in her life as she released her volcanic fury full throttle.

Jewel, her eyes teal infernos, raised her stick and attempted to whack Iracebeth in the face as hard as she could but the bat matriarch raised her stick and blocked her blow. The two pieces of wood emitted a sound as they struck each other. Jewel, at this, withdrew her stick and tried a low sweep attack but Iracebeth blocked it as well. Jewel's talons rose and tried going for Iracebeth's stomach to tear her flesh and draw blood but Iracebeth's foot claws rose and blocked the attempt, before turning into a kick as they shoved the talons back into Jewel's stomach, forcing her back. Jewel briefly lost her balance but regained it before charging towards Iracebeth again, another loud screech of pure rage exploding from her beak. The sound of wood striking wood darted into the air above the bat and the Spix macaw as Jewel's attempted blow to Iracebeth's head was once again blocked by the bat's stick. Around the duelling pair, the fight between the flying foxes and the macaws continued while the injured Blu was sought to by Venus, Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto, Felipe and Mars but they had been forced to fend off more flying foxes as they tried to attack Blu to possibly finish him off, now that he was defenceless with a broken wing. With the other macaws engrossed in fighting, Jewel was left to deal with Iracebeth by herself and she continued to try and inflict a blow or scratch on her opponent but to no avail for Iracebeth was an extremely tough one, the toughest opponent that Jewel had ever faced. However, Jewel was consumed by so much rage that she didn't care. All she cared about was seeing Iracebeth in a battered and bloody pulp in revenge for what she had done to Blu. The vengeful desire for blood was like what she had harboured for Nigel, the cockatoo she detested more than any other in the world but this was ten times worse.

Jewel then lashed at Iracebeth in an attempt to bite her but Iracebeth cleverly raised her stick and blocked that too, making Jewel's beak clamp into the stick instead. Iracebeth then thrusted the stick and sent Jewel toppling backwards, sending her careening into a branch where she landed on her back. Jewel shot Iracebeth a shocked look at her skill while Iracebeth glared back at her with the meanest look she had ever seen.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, Spix worm," crooned Iracebeth tauntingly. Jewel, extreme rage consuming her again, rolled onto her stomach and heaved herself off the branch with her talons.

"I'm GONNA SKIN YA ALIVE!" she screeched as she charged towards her foe and with that, she tried whacking Iracebeth's side with her stick but Iracebeth's feet rose and clasped onto the stick, blocking it again. This was subsequently followed by a series of more of Jewel's savage attempts to attack Iracebeth only for her to block each and every one. Jewel even tried going for Iracebeth's wings with her talons in an attempt to tear the membranes stretched between the fingers but Iracebeth elegantly dodged by twirling out of the way, sending Jewel into a leap and forcing her to recover and regain her balance. Iracebeth was indeed an extremely tough opponent. Years of fighting birds since she was a young pup, including taking on a harpy eagle singlehandedly, was being called upon and Jewel soon found she was fighting a losing battle despite all she could do. Then Iracebeth twirled elegantly, much to Jewel's confusion, before Iracebeth swung out the sharp point of the sharp-stick at Jewel's face, making the Spix macaw arch her head back to avoid getting slashed, the point of the stick missing her eyes by inches. Then one of Iracebeth's feet shot out after she twirled a full turn and kicked Jewel heftily in the stomach, knocking her back. While Jewel struggled to regain her balance again, Iracebeth darted forward and clawed her across the chest, tearing out some cerulean feathers and drawing a bit of blood. Jewel retaliated by attempting to slash Iracebeth across the chest with her own claws but Iracebeth lurched forward and sank her teeth into her talons, making Jewel screech in agony. Iracebeth then jerked her head to one side and thrusted Jewel's lower half away from her and released the macaw's talon, sending Jewel into a brief spin. Iracebeth looked on as her enemy struggled to regain her balance.

"HAH!" she screeched mockingly, "You SURE FIGHT like a useless CHICK, useless CERULEAN FEATHERBALL!"

Jewel shot Iracebeth a heated glare and charged towards her again. Vitriolic words spewed from her mouth at her enemy as she approached her again for another attempt in brutally injuring her but Iracebeth, unfazed by Jewel's worst possible insults she could concoct, raised her stick and slammed it against Jewel's stick. As the two glared daggers, Iracebeth crooned, "You know, I have once taken down a harpy eagle singlehandedly, something you'll NEVER be able to do, feathered (bleep)."

At this, Jewel hurled a glob of saliva right into Iracebeth's face, stabbed by the obscene word Iracebeth had jabbed her. That did it. The bubble of Iracebeth's rage burst. With an enraged screech of her own, Iracebeth lashed at Jewel and attempted to stab her with her sharp-stick but Jewel dodged. The fire of the battle then began to rage higher as the Spix macaw and flying fox colony matriarch, screeches of the most acidic insults spewing from Jewel's beak and Iracebeth's mouth at each other, continued their savage fight, their minds completely warped with the desire to inflict the most gruesome and brutal injuries as possible on each other. Around the duelling females, the macaws and flying foxes continued their ongoing battle. Despite all the birds could do, the flying foxes were beginning to overpower them. Venus, Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto, Felipe and Mars struggled against the group of bats as they continued defending the injured Blu; Murphy, Abigail, Jairo and Skyla's group had been forced to retreat when they found they were no match for the flying foxes' skills and sizes, and even the hyacinth macaws, despite being bigger than the flying foxes, were beginning to struggle against their furry foes. However, things were about to change.

While the conflagration continued to rage between Iracebeth and Jewel, with Jewel managing to fight past her nemesis's defences in a fit of pure volcanic rage, clamp her beak as hard as she could onto Iracebeth's left ear, much to Iracebeth's excruciatingly agonized screams, and promptly jerk her head backwards to tear it clean off; and also between the other flying foxes and the other birds, a strange bird with flight feathers on her wings and legs and a long prehensile tail ending in a fan of flight feathers riding on a reddish bird-like bat creature flew in. Iracebeth and Jewel, both bearing bruises, bald patches and bleeding scratches with Jewel bearing more of them, and Iracebeth's injured and tattered left ear bleeding, painting a red trail down the black paint covering her head and sending extreme agony tearing through Iracebeth's head only to be ignored by the extreme insanity, apoplexy and rancour conflagrating within the now-insane matriarch as she continued to furiously battle Jewel, the pair was made aware of a new sound: a series of short, squeaky calls. At this, the two battlers gazed in the direction in time to see a female metallic blue archaeobird, her face and beak decked out with brightly coloured stripes and patches riding a bird-like creature with bat-like wings but supported by one long finger, appear above a tall ball of leaves of a tree and continue to screech the short squawk series. The screeches were loud that it echoed thorough the battlefield, alerting everyone. Iracebeth looked on in immense horror while Jewel's face was one of surprise.

"Now what!?" hissed Iracebeth irritably. Venus, Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto, Felipe, Blu and Mars and the others also saw the newcomer.

"Andromeda," whispered Venus in surprise. Them moments later, more newcomers, among them a familiar pair of flying foxes, scarlet macaw and several archaeobirds donning brightly coloured war paint on their faces and bodies on their bat-bird mounts, appeared. However, they weren't alone. Behind them was a sea of figures, all dressed in leafy cloaks, most of which were birds, some of species that not even Blu could recognise. The new crowd all screeched and cheered. Jewel's eyes then found Jupiter, Augustus, Melissa, Ophiuchus, Anakin, Eragon, Honeydew and Spock who hovered with a strange bird and flying fox Jewel couldn't recognise. Jewel smiled as Jupiter, Augustus and Melissa screeched to the backup group and within seconds, the whole lot poured in like floodwater into the battlefield, heading straight for the enemy bats. Iracebeth then snapped out of her gaze at the newcomers and proceeded to attack Jewel, snapping Jewel out of her gaze and bringing her attention back to the fiery duel. Then moments later, the tide of the battle began to turn in the birds and allied flying foxes' favour. Ophiuchus, armed with a stick, charged at a group of enemy flying foxes as they threatened to skewer some chestnut-fronted macaws, among them Abigail and Murphy and struck them down in an instant while his bat-bird mauled them, saving the group of small macaws from death. Nearby, Jupiter charged at another flying fox, a muscular male as he towered over Pluto and Rodrigo and drove him away while Anakin whacked another flying fox threatening to bludgeon Falkor the milicinth macaw with another stick. Falkor looked on in surprise as the young archaeobird flashed him a glance. A battlefield was the last place Falkor had expected the archaeobirds from Andromeda's clan to be.

"No time to explain," replied Anakin before the milicinth macaw could ask and with that, he darted off on his bat-bird, Garnet to charge at more flying foxes. Falkor, giving up, got up and turned to fighting off more enemy flying foxes. The enemy bats, upon seeing the large wave of newcomers, then began to retreat. Groups of cloaked birds, many of them species unknown to humans or thought long extinct, charged at the flying foxes, wielding weapons such as simple sticks and stones. A cloaked scarlet-like macaw charged in and struck Shinzon on the head as hard as it could as he threatened Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Mercury, knocking him out. As the flying fox fainted, the macaw flashed the four a glance. The four gazed back at the macaw with surprise for it was a species of macaw they had never seen before.

"Isn't that…" began Mercury.

"A type of scarlet macaw?" asked Saturn, finishing Mercury's sentence.

"I'm not a scarlet or green-winged macaw," replied the bird before turning to fight off another flying fox. Mercury, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune exchanged glances, got up and joined in the fray. While the tide continued to turn in the birds' favour, Jewel continued savagely fighting Iracebeth. Nearby, a group of cloaked birds, together with Jupiter, Melissa and Honeydew on her bat-bird, rushed in and helped Roberto, Felipe, Mars, Venus, Brisa and Zephyr fend of the group of attacking enemy bats, successfully helping them to protect the injured Blu as he lay on the branch clutching his broken wing. Blu's gaze flashed this way and that as he saw more newcomers; more cloaked birds fly in and viciously drive off more flying foxes. His mind was utterly confused at the variety of species he had never seen before. Some were supposed to be extinct while some others were of various species unknown to man. However, at the same time, Blu was glad that backup had arrived soon but that gladness was immediately shattered when he heard the sounds of a startled female macaw cry explode nearby. At this, his gaze darted to Jewel as she was forced against a branch by her opponent.

"JEWEL!" screeched he. Jewel then tried to get up but Iracebeth stomped a foot onto her chest and her other foot onto her stomach. Jewel who was missing her stick which Iracebeth had managed to force out of her wings before knocking her back, then tried to defend herself with her wings but Iracebeth made sure that her wings were completely away from her torso. Jewel then looked up in fright as Iracebeth, her gaze flooded with pure bloodlust, murder and sadism with a river of red continuing to run from her torn left ear down the left side of her face close to her red fruit paint marks around her eyes and on her cheeks, saliva dripping from her mouth with gritted teeth, twirled her sharp-stick elegantly in her wings and aimed the point of it at Jewel's chest, exactly where her heart was. But before she could inflict the fatal blow, she was made aware of the sound of flapping wings, membranous wings. A brown comet was surging towards her and Iracebeth's eyes caught sighted of it. At this, she looked up just in time to see Augustus, a look of inferno on his face and an enraged screech exploding from his mouth, fly in and charge into her, knocking her off of Jewel. Jewel got up and looked down as the two bats careened through the canopy and began savagely fighting.

 **Meanwhile**

The sky above the Amazon rainforest was by now completely covered by a thick layer of dark grey cloud. Flickers of lightning and rumbles of thunder flashed and sounded in the lobes of the clouds, signalling imminent rainfall. While the clouds prepared to release their downpour, in the Spix tribe's ravine, a group of large, black bats with red markings and clutching weapons flew around the air above the ravine pool decorated by giant waterlilies, their murderous eyes constantly scanning the trees and every nook and cranny in the ravine's cliffs for any flash of coloured feathers. From behind the waterfall, some of the birds, among them Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender continuously watched the flying foxes as they began to peer in each and every hollow, sometimes even stabbing their sharp-sticks into them as though someone was still inside.

"What can you observe, Carla?" asked Eustace as he helped a Lear's macaw couple try to calm their frightened chicks. All the chicks and many of the adolescents were gripped by immense fear, and parents huddled their chicks close to them. Azurite, Aquamarine, Chilro, Ophelia, Luke and Linda ducked into their nest, frightened whimpers emitting from their beaks while Mimi tried to calm them. Oliver and Amalthea cowered in Io's wings while Europa, Ganymede and Callisto who bore a leaf-bandage filled with moss on her head where she had been whacked, gazed at Carla and the others as they continued their observations of the activities outside, while Hyperion and Gordon nestled against Mimas and Tethys. Edmund nestled against Miranda while Desdemona and Lucy nestled against Azul and Fernanda while their siblings also watched Carla and the others. The hyacinth macaws huddled against some of the smaller birds. Violet ducked in Indigo's wings and whimpered while she and Triton also watched the entrance.

"They're searching through our trees," said Carla in a quiet but loud enough voice for some of the others to hear; she daren't not shout for it would give away the birds' hiding place to the bats, and they were very keen on finding them and slaughtering them. Europa, Ganymede, Estelle and Alexandre then walked over to see the bats' activities for themselves. Phobos and Deimos remained behind with Gabrielle and some other chicks.

The bats continued looking into one tree hollow after another, some even entering the hollows and viciously tearing at the contents within the rooms in a murderous effort to find any bird in hiding. Beds of moss and feathers were immediately turned into a pile of untidy debris as the bats ransacked them, grunting in frustration as their results came back fruitless. One of the bats, a female armed with a mace-like weapon, had entered Bia's hollow. She tore through Bia's bed of moss and feathers, only to find nothing. Grunting, she turned to invade the next room in the hollow when her eyes caught sighted something. At this, the bat turned and gazed at what had caught her eye. Hidden in another hole behind the bed she had destroyed was a series of blocks, unfamiliar markings running along their lengths. Compelled by curiosity, the bat walked towards them and reached out a membranous wing to feel the texture of the blocks' surfaces. They felt smooth, too smooth to be made from a natural material. Seeing that the blocks were separate items, the bat then took hold of one of them and pulled them out of the hole, before gazing at the covering. The covering had a picture of several animals, among them a jaguar, a few birds, a snake and a capybara and in the middle, more markings were printed onto it (the markings read 'Animais da Floresta Amazonica' or 'Animals of the Amazon Rainforest' in Portuguese but to the bat, the words were nothing more than a series of confusing markings for she had never come across human writing). The bat then opened the unnatural block and found that it had sheets of leaf-thin wood with pictures and more bizarre markings inside.

"How bizarre," said the bat quietly as she flicked through the human object, "I thought those feathered worms were against humans and human things."

Just then, a voice shouted her name, attracting her attention to the hollow entrance.

"What are you doing just standing there?" said another bat, a muscular male armed with a flail-like weapon, "You know we've got a bunch of birds to search and slaughter."

"One of them seems interested in human things like this," said the female bat and with that, she showed the male bat the block filled with wood sheets (called a book).

"Are there any chicks hiding in there?" asked the male impatiently. The female then tossed aside the book and began to ransack Bia's little library of other books.

"No," she said after she had finished and backed away from the mess she had made, "Let's check the upper rooms."

And with that, she and her muscular companion climbed up the hollow, leaving Bia's library in an untidy pile with her destroyed bed.

Outside, the beds inside more hollows belonging to the Spix macaws were turned into piles of moss and feathers as the bats ransacked them as well. Then some of the bats began to advance closer and closer to the waterfall. Upon seeing this, some of the macaws prepared for action. Ganymede flew over to the food stock piled there by the birds during the food stocking stage and took out some guavas, Kira, Jojo, Felix and Lavender doing the same.

"What are you doing?" demanded Eduardo when they saw them do this. Kira shot him and Mimi a glare.

"We're gonna fight those pesky furballs and drive them away from our hiding place," she retorted. Then she passed some of the fruit to Triton and Indigo (who had left Violet in the care of another hyacinth macaw), and then to Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus and some other macaws and birds as they had decided to face the bats outside.

"What are you crazy!?" hissed Mimi, wary of the loudness of her voice, "Those bats out there are armed."

"That's why we're arming ourselves with fruit," replied Triton as he passed some fruit to Victor, Penelope, Trixie and to Charon, Blueberry, Quincy, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden. Eduardo and Mimi looked on as the macaws continued to arm themselves with more fruit. The other macaws and birds, having opted not to use fruit but their beaks and talons, then began to organise a surprise attack on the bats. Sebastian also joined in for he was determined to help his feathered friends despite the risks involved. Back outside, the bats continued rummaging through the Spix macaws' trees. From one tree, bits of moss and feathers flew out of the hollow entrance as one of them searched through the bed nest while a few more exited the adjacent trees and glared at each other in frustration.

"Anything?" asked one of them.

"Now," said another, "We can't find any trace of those feathered vermin at all."

"Don't tell me they've evacuated from here have they?" asked a third.

"They've GOT to be here somewhere," said a fourth and with that, she began to scan the ravine air until her eyes landed on the waterfall. Another bat then began to admire the giant lilypads floating on the surface of the ravine pool.

"You know something, when we capture this habitat, I can't wait to see our pups surf on those pads, especially my two sons," she said.

"Look, snap out of your daydreams and concentrate on finding those birds," scolded one of the male bats, "We'll come to that later."

The bat nodded and resumed the task. The group of bats edged closer and closer to the waterfall and the cave and its occupants the bats weren't aware were present behind it. Io, Europa and Ganymede watched the group as they continued to rummage through the tree hollows and look under any nearby vegetation such as ferns. The more vulnerable birds, such as chicks and the elderly apart from Mimi and Eduardo, had moved further back into the cave to prevent being seen. Gael, one of the Spix macaws, watched the younger macaws as they prepared to jump out at the intruders.

"Right, are you guys ready?" whispered Ganymede to the others. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Kira and Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix, Lavender who were right behind the three scarlet macaws with Sebastian, made agreeing scowls, fruit in their wings.

"Yes," growled Carla bitterly, a guava being tossed into the air by her wing. Close behind this group, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Diantha and Serena, together with a number of other birds such as Triton and Indigo, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry and Flor and several others, gazed back at the other birds as they looked on timidly.

"We'll do our best to keep those bats away from the waterfall cave," said Triton.

"And make sure you do," said Gael firmly as she huddled Chilro, Ophelia, Luke, Linda, Azurite and Aquamarine (given to her by Eduardo and Mimi) close to her.

"And be very careful," said one of the archaeobirds, "Those bats might be armed."

"They _are_ armed," said Sebastian in a low voice as he spotted the sticks in the bats' wings. The others gazed at the bats and saw that he was right. However, something else also made the group cringe.

"What _horrible_ body paint," hissed Carla repulsively as she gazed at the black body paint of the bats and the red markings painted around their eyes, on their torsos and their wings.

"They look like flying zombies," said Tiago.

"The flying foxes have always worn that body décor for generations," whispered Sebastian, "They apply it every time they drive out a bird tribe or clan or fight wars against birds, or when they do their anti-bird colony dance."

"Décor like that is supposed to make those bats much more frightening, isn't it," asked Bia.

"Correct," said Sebastian.

"Do your mother and father despise that body paint?" asked Justin.

"Yes," said Sebastian, "In fact that body décor frightened Dad when he was my age, an adolescent flying fox and it still does. My sisters Stella and Luna also find that body décor frightening. Dad also told me that the flying foxes' body paint sometimes gave him nightmares."

"Looks like even some of the members of those bats' own colony find thatbody décor too frightening and repulsive," said Charlotte with no surprise. Then Carla called the others to prepare to jump out at the flying foxes outside.

"Okay, here we go…" she whispered. Back outside again, after another few trees were turned into an untidy mess, the group of flying foxes gathered together.

"Nope, definitely cannot find _any_ of those Spix macaws in any of those trees," said the ringleader.

"Now what are we going to do?" asked another bat. As he spoke, one of the muscular males saw something odd about the rock behind the waterfall. At this, he turned to face the edge of the water curtain and saw that the rock sharply curved inward behind the waterfall, implying the rim of a cave entrance. Compelled by curiosity, he went to have a closer look at it. The ringleader breathed a sigh of frustration as the bat walked towards the waterfall.

"Well those birds are _definitely_ somewhere in the sanctuary, gang," she said, "Maybe they're not here?"

"Hey," called the muscular male. At this, a pattering of flying fox feet on rock sounded as the others gathered round him. A membranous wing then darted out into a point from the bat at the rim of the waterfall cave.

"There appears to be some sort of cave behind that waterfall," the bat said, "Shall we check it out? Maybe there are some birds hidden in there."

The others followed his pointed wing and saw the rim of the cave just visible behind the lip of the waterfall curtain.

"Looks like the rim of a cave entrance," said the ringleader. However, no sooner than these words had left her mouth when suddenly, "And it looks like YOU'RE IN DEEP WATER, you FILTHY FURBALLS!"

At this, the group of bats turned just in time to see a cerulean comet with fiery green eyes charge out towards them. As the group of bats, taken by surprise, stood there gazing at her as she surged towards them, Carla reached forward with her talons and as soon as she was close to the group, she charged right through them like an enraged bull, slashing some of them across the faces with her claws. Some of the bats cried in pain as the claws struck them while more were knocked down or sent flying upwards, flipped into the air by the cerulean comet of feathers. The ringleader released a cry of surprise but then another enraged screech exploded behind her. At this, her gaze snapped from Carla to more comets: some cerulean, some red with green, yellow, blue or teal wings, some green with blue wings, some yellow and aqua blue with green foreheads, and so on pour out from behind the waterfall cave and charge towards them. Struck with alarm, the ringleader called for her comrades to defend themselves as the group of various macaws and other birds led by Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Kira, and also Sebastian, charged into them. In the sky above, lightning flashed and slashed through the dark grey clouds as the Spix tribe's ravine soon turned into a miniature battlefield…


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40- an effective speech and horrifying news**

 **Back in the battlefield**

Augustus and Iracebeth were locked in a struggle, their eyes glaring daggers as they strained against each other. As the two fought, Jewel, Felipe, Zephyr, Venus and several other birds such as Mercury, Sapphire, Mars, Chiquitita, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Ultramarine and Cobalto gathered around. Brisa and Roberto stuck by the injured Blu, their eyes also fixated on Augustus and Iracebeth. The surrounding bats and birds, distracted by the noises emanating from the struggling Augustus and Iracebeth, had stopped battling and had turned their gazes to them, surprise lacing those gazes. As Iracebeth forced Augustus against a tree trunk, a membranous wing square on his neck, she snarled, "I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN that you have been helping those feathered wastes of space, those disaster causing featherballs, all along you traitorous brother-in-law…" Iracebeth shook her head, "No, I'm wrong. You're NO brother-in-law of mine at ALL! You're an interfering WORM, no different from those feathered WORMS AROUND US WHOM YOU HAVE DEFECTED TO!"

"These birds are NOT worms, they're NOT wastes of space," retorted Augustus, heaving Iracebeth with a hefty shove with his wings before slapping her hard across the face, "And they're NOT flying disasters or disaster causing featherballs!" he gave her another hefty shove, knocking Iracebeth back onto the branch, "And furthermore, DON'T YOU REALISE THOSE POOR BATS ARE FIGHTING THOSE POOR BIRDS FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS THAT DO NOT EXIST!?" he dodged a slash from Iracebeth's foot claws as they came at his face, "Not only are THOSE BIRDS GETTING HURT, but also those BATS as well! Honestly, this war is causing a LOT of casualties on BOTH sides!"

And with that, he flashed a certain flying fox a glance. Shinzon lay there on a branch, one wing clutching his other wing which was severely damaged and injured. A look of agony laced his face. However, through that agonised expression, Shinzon glared at Augustus with pure malice. Iracebeth then lashed at Augustus and scratched his face with her foot claws, this time making contact. Augustus's head was thrown in the direction of the swipe as the claws carved a scratch in his cheek.

"What you DON'T REALISE is that these wretched worms have an enormous PRIZE for US TO NAB FROM THEM, you cowardly MENACE!" snapped Iracebeth, inflicting another scratch across Augustus's face with her foot claws before slapping him hard with a wing, knocking him down. Jewel looked on, utterly shocked at Iracebeth's stubbornness. The others also looked on as Augustus rolled out of the way to avoid receiving a bite from Iracebeth's teeth, making her bite the wood of the branch instead. Iracebeth stood back up and immediately spat the foul-tasting chips of wood from her mouth.

"Those GOOD FOR NOTHING BIRDS do not DESERVE to be protected FROM LOGGING AND POACHING," snarled the evil matriarch, "They are the CAUSE OF ALL THE DISASTERS THAT HAS AFFECTED US and they deserve to DIE!" She then flashed Jewel, Zephyr, Venus and several other Spix macaws and extremely acidic glare, "OR WHAT'S BETTER, EXTINCT, LIKE THOSE GOOD FOR NOTHING SPIX WORMS!" she bellowed, making the Spix macaws flinch at the insult. Blu narrowed his eyes at Iracebeth despite the extreme pain coming from his broken wing.

"How dare she insult our species' endangered status," he hissed. Then Iracebeth lashed at Augustus and attempted to bite him but Augustus raised a wing and slapped her head, hitting her torn and bleeding left ear. Iracebeth screamed in agony as the wing made contact, and Augustus's wing came away with blood from the wound, much to his revulsion. Augustus immediately rubbed his wings together to rid the red liquid.

"These birds are NOT THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTERS THAT AFFECTED US, IRACEBETH," bellowed Augustus, obviously sick and tired of having to repeat this over and over again, "When are you GONNA GET IT INTO YOUR THICK SKULL!?"

As he yelled at Iracebeth, Andromeda, Ophiuchus, Honeydew and Eragon came by on their bat-birds, sticks (not sharp-sticks) held in their wing claws as Augustus and Iracebeth continued arguing back and forth. In the sky, the clouds rumbled with thunder and prepared to release their contents. Then Jewel, inspired by Augustus's speech, decided to back him up and tell the other flying foxes the problem from the birds' perspective, hoping that it would open their eyes to the truth that the birds of the Amazon were NOT the cause of the disasters that affected the flying fox colony. She hoped that this would end the war peacefully and stop anymore injuries and deaths, for there were dozens of casualties, both flying fox and bird, already.

As Jewel hovered higher into the sky for everyone to see, Iracebeth glared bitterly at Augustus, while Augustus glared disappointedly at Iracebeth, his heart sinking at her stubbornness. It was clear that this hard shell his sister-in-law had harboured was too impenetrable to break through and that Iracebeth was extremely determined to cling onto the lies as tenaciously as possible, no matter how much Augustus or anyone else who knew the truth would try to convince her of the falsity of the colony teachings, regardless of the amount of evidence against them. Furthermore, the greed for more land, the desire of seeing birds in pain and suffering and her hatred of them had added to the impenetrable shell of stubbornness. Then Jewel's speech attracted his attention and that of Iracebeth as well.

"Can't you flying foxes SEE that you are fighting a war based on a pack of lies about us birds?" Jewel shouted, her voice echoing thorough the battlefield and reaching every ear and making the battle grind to a halt, "Not only are you lot hurting us, but you are also hurting yourselves."

Iracebeth, when she heard Jewel speak out against the colony's teachings, took off into the air to protest against Jewel's speech. Augustus followed.

"No, don't listen to this Spix worm, my bats," called Iracebeth, "She's talking a load of capybara dung!"

The flying foxes exchanged glances. Some of them, however, believed Iracebeth and denounced Jewel's speech as claptrap while some others looked on in confusion. Furthermore, the eyes of some of them seemed to be showing the signs of being opened to the truth by Jewel's words. Then Augustus flapped upward.

"What this Spix macaw says is true," he shouted, gesturing to Jewel, the latter flashing him an admirable glance but Iracebeth glaring at him extremely bitterly. "The birds of the Amazon rainforest are NOT at ALL the cause of the problems such as logging activity and poaching. Those factors are caused by humans. Furthermore, these birds had also suffered those problems as well, so why should you lot add to the problems they already have besides logging and poaching and all the rest?"

Murmurs rolled through the flying foxes and any of them exchanged glances. Then Felipe flew up to voice more on the facts.

"We birds and you flying foxes all have the same rainforest and suffer the same problems," he said, "And if you want more evidence against the teachings you have held in your colony about us birds for so long from our perspective, I will give it to you now. We birds have NEVER caused ANY sort of those problems such as logging and poaching, and we certainly did NOT bring in those humans to destroy our homes or snatch us out of the wild or cause those previous fires…"

"In other words," put in Soleado the leader of the blue-and-gold macaw tribe, "The incidences involving logging and poaching, as well as the fires sometimes caused by loggers and the drought that sometimes happens, is NOT OUR FAULT!"

Alonso of the green macaws, Mercury and Sapphire of the Lear's macaws, Reynaldo of the blue-throated macaws, Rudi of the glaucous macaws and Flavio of the hyacinth macaws al cried out in agreement as did some of the birds who were part of the smaller groups. Then one of the mysteriously cloaked birds, a cloaked flying fox who was an ally to the birds hovered up to back up Felipe's speech by shouting that they agreed with it, sending more confused murmurs rolling through the flying fox crowd interspersed with colourful feathers. Blu smiled from his branch as he gazed up at Jewel, Felipe and Augustus but then Iracebeth shouted, "NO, these birds ARE THE CAUSE of the disasters that have affected us. The teachings of our colony are ABSOLUTELY TRUE!"

Jewel, Felipe and Augustus and the other bird tribe and clan leaders shot the colony matriarch a glare. They knew very well that this was a lot of claptrap, and Andromeda and Eragon agreed to this. Though the archaeobirds used fire, they always kept it confined to their area and kept the flames carefully contained to prevent them from spreading based on the highly negative reputation the subject had with the other bird tribes and clans, and also the flying foxes. Then Alonso fluttered up to add another thing.

"And having said that about our zero involvement with the disasters," he called, "Why do you bats need more land? Don't you know you already have plenty of land as it is without the NEED to drive out a bird flock or even fight against innocent birds when they've done nothing to offend you for that matter? Not only has your fighting against us birds earned you flying foxes with the reputation as being every Amazon birds' worst enemies, but you lot are also hurting yourselves."

"Driving out a bird flock is extremely dangerous business," added Verde, Alonso's mate, "Especially for flying creatures with membranous wings such as you bats."

The flying foxes exchanged more confused glances while some of them glared back at the speakers stubbornly, obviously refusing to believe the facts.

"But what about protection for us from logging and poaching caused by humans?" asked one of the flying foxes.

"There is plenty of area in the Sanctuary de Amazon that is not owned by any of us bird tribes or clans," shouted Reynaldo, "Maybe you bats could settle down as small groups into those areas…"

"NO!" shouted Iracebeth, cutting Reynaldo off, "The entire sanctuary belongs to US! NOW LET'S STOP THIS POINTLESS TALK AND CONTINUE THIS FIGHT TO THE DEATH!"

Reynaldo flashed the deranged matriarch a frustrated glance as some roars exploded from some of the flying foxes. However, the majority of them, their eyes having been opened to the lies of the colony's teachings about the Amazon birds as well as the dangers involved in driving out a bird flock, especially based on the number of injured bats in the battlefield, were beginning to have other ideas for something inside them had changed. Then before Iracebeth knew it, a few bats scowled, dropped their weapons and then took to the air to leave. More and more black and red creatures followed, seeping out of the crowd of colourful feathers like smoke. When Iracebeth saw these bats leave, she began to throw a tantrum like a bratty pup.

"NOOOOO!" she bellowed, "YOU CAN'T LEAVE, you COWARDS! GET BACK HERE THIS MINUTE! WE HAVE A WAR STILL TO FIGHT!"

Shinzon also looked on as some of the bats also abandoned the battlefield and left, dropping their weapons on the go. Some even hissed in disgust at the feathered trophies they had harvested from their kills as they dropped their weapons. However, a number of flying foxes who remained on Iracebeth's side remained. Seeing that the leavers were not intent on listening to their now-former matriarch's screeches, their trust in her having been completely shattered by the words of Augustus, Jewel, Felipe and the others who had spoken, Iracebeth's tantrum finally reached critical, while Jewel and the other speakers, as well as the other birds including Andromeda and her clan members who had come to help, and the cloaked birds and allied flying foxes, watched as more and more bats leaved, without interfering. Screaming and crying and flailing like a young pup that cannot get its own way, Iracebeth screeched at the leavers, calling them cowards and useless bats. However, she was soon on the receiving end of dozens and dozens of firm gazes. Blu smiled as he watched so many bats leave and drop their weapons.

"Way to go, Jewel, Augustus, the rest of you," he said to the speakers, "I thought none of those bats would listen to your words."

"That has indeed proved effective," said Zephyr. Then Venus gazed at the screaming Iracebeth.

"Now to deal with her," she said. Iracebeth continued screaming and flapping her wings when she heard the sounds of flapping feathered wings reach her ears, accompanied by a pair of membranous ones. At this, she glared bitterly at Jewel and Augustus as they touched down before her.

"It's over, Iracebeth, go home," said Jewel bluntly.

"Your days for capturing more land and causing more suffering for everyone including your own colony bats are over," added Felipe.

"It is time to move on," said Augustus, "This is where the war ends."

Iracebeth, at this, glared utterly thunderstruck at the turn of events but then her fiery scowl returned.

"NEVEEEER!" she bellowed, "I WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL I HAVE CAPTURED EVERY LAST BIT OF THE SANCTUARY FOR OUR COLONY, EVEN IF IT MEANS CAUSING A LOT MORE CASUALTIES!"

Augustus flinched in horror. It was also obvious that Iracebeth did not care much about the wellbeing of the bats and was still determined to take the land from the bird flocks, regardless of the cost to her own colony.

"Iracebeth still wants to continue the war!?" shouted Zephyr in shock. Suddenly, Augustus's voice blurted out, "BACK AWAY!"

At this, Zephyr only had time to glance at the deranged matriarch of the flying fox colony until a talon grabbed his wing and yanked him away from an incoming sharp-stick as it stabbed at the air. Iracebeth, having lost her mind altogether now, had snatched a sharp-stick and was now about to enter a killing spree. Her mind had been completely warped by pure rage, rage at having been abandoned by her own colony mates and the rage at the turn of events. Augustus and the others then darted away as Iracebeth charged at them, a deranged screech exploding from her mouth. Venus and Mars immediately seized Blu and, carefully but quickly, carried him away, being careful not to in jure his broken right wing further.

Iracebeth then charged at Flavio, her sharp-stick aimed for his torso.

"Uncle Flavio, MOVE!" screeched Marinho as he, Neptune and Ultramarine as they evacuated more birds, looked on in horror. However, Flavio hovered there, transfixed on the deranged female bat as she rocketed towards him, sharp-stick slashing through the air. Then a spray of blood flew into the air accompanied by an agonised screech.

"UNCLE FLAVIO!" cried Marinho, Ultramarine and Neptune at the same time as they watched the Navyfeather Clan leader, mortally wounded in the stomach, plummet through the canopy, Iracebeth hovering there, her sharp-stick covered with Flavio's blood and her face ablaze with unspeakable scorn and sadism. Then suddenly, a flying fox screech of agony erupted. Jewel, Augustus, Felipe and the others all winced and gazed at Iracebeth, who was screaming, as something had clamped its beak onto her right wing, hard. However, it was not a feathered creature, but a bat-like creature with a beak and on its back, a metallic blue female archaeobird with brightly coloured stripes painted onto her beak, forehead and cheeks, much to the astonishment of the watchers. Then Andromeda commanded Rouge to violently jerk her head to the left, which she did. Iracebeth was flung violently towards a branch, the arm area of her left wing bleeding where Rouge's toothed beak had penetrated the skin, where she landed in a brutal crash while her sharp-stick spun wildly away from her, struck a tree trunk and careened downward through the canopy. Then it was Iracebeth's turn to scream in agony from an injured wing for the area of injury was searing with agony.

"MY WIIIING!" she screeched and with that, her left wing went to grasp her injured right. Andromeda and Rouge, together with some other archaeobirds on their bat-bird mounts, hovered there, an unsympathetic look plastered on each of their faces.

"That's what you GET for messing with us, you bratty bat," snarled Andromeda. Iracebeth shot the archaeobird a poisonous look despite the agony of her injured wing. Jewel then gazed down at the wicked bat and, seeing that she was no longer worth the trouble, turned to the others.

"Let's go," she said, and with that, the group left, leaving Iracebeth to scream after them, spitting all kinds of vitriolic threats. However, all she got were deaf-eared responses, much to her extreme rage. Iracebeth tried leaping off the branch and into flight but due to her badly injured wing, she instead plummeted through the canopy, screaming on the way down.

Jewel and the others continued flying away from Iracebeth.

"Well, I guess this war is soon over," said Brisa.

"Guess so," said Alonso nearby. His eyes then flashed to the sky above. "Looks like rain."

Jewel then began to send some birds to find and rescue the injured when suddenly, the sound of flapping feathered wings reached the ears of the group. Fedor and Rafflesia who stood with Murphy (Alessandro's father) and Jairo (Mariposa's father), saw the owner of the wing-flaps approach the group.

"Hey look, it's Velocity and Orion," said Fedor. At this, stunned gasps and gazes converged on four falcons, two of them being the mentioned birds' parents, as they exploded from a gap in the trees and braked abruptly to a hover before pausing catching their breath. Eragon examined the state of the falcons.

"Looks like those four falcons are flooded with horror and alarm," he said.

"Not to mention covered that they've been in some sort of fight," added Ophiuchus when he saw that the four falcons bore some cuts and bruises.

"Possibly with another group of flying foxes," said Augustus.

"Velocity, Orion, Cometa, Lightning," said Jupiter with a frown, fluttering towards the four falcons, "What are you four doing here on the battlefield?"

The falcons took another minute to get their breath back from flying so fast until finally, Velocity spoke.

"You HAVE to come with us NOW!" she screeched, "There's a battle going on in the Spix tribe's ravine where the elderly and young of the bird tribes, clans and groups have evacuated!"

The colour drained from the skins under the facial feathers of the hearers, and Augustus, along with Melissa who had been helping some birds carry the injured avian casualties to safety the whole time, shuddered. Blu, who also heard it in the distance while he was being held by Venus and Mars, also began to tremble as worried thoughts for his two daughters, son and niece, along with his and Jewel's second brood son and daughter and everyone else, flashed in his mind.

"Are there any flying foxes in there?" demanded Jewel. However, nothing could prepare the group for the answer.

"Yes," said Orion.

"And some of the young adult macaws, among them Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira and also Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Diantha," added Cometa, "Are fighting them."

"We saw them from the clifftops of the ravine," said Lightning. Horror tore through the group, and Venus and Mars stifled horrified gasps. Chiquitita shot a look at Jewel.

"Time to head to your ravine, I think," she murmured.

"TAKE us to the Spix tribe's ravine AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" bellowed Jewel to the falcons. Cometa, Lightning, Velocity and Orion nodded and darted off into the trees. Jewel then flashed a glance at Alonso, Soleado and some of the other birds and noticed that the flying foxes who had remained on Iracebeth's side, were preparing to fight the birds again, but Alonso ushered Jewel to head to her tribe's ravine.

"You lot go," he barked, "We'll see to the other bats and also the casualties."

Jewel, at this, darted off after the falcons, followed by Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Sapphire, Chiquitita, Ultramarine, Cobalto, Murphy, Abigail, Jairo, Skyla, Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Felipe and some of the other birds. Mars and Venus, after handing the injured Blum to two hyacinth macaws and commanding them to take him to the hospital, also darted off after Jewel, along with Augustus and Melissa. Blu cried out at the group as they left.

"I hope Cicatriz, Iracebeth's mate, isn't in there either!" he shouted. Alonso then called together the other birds and with that, they prepared to face off with the remaining flying foxes. Thunder sounded in the sky as the battle began to resume but with a lesser intensity than before. Andromeda and Eragon then flew off after Jewel and the others.

"Ophiuchus, Honeydew, you help take care of the other bats while we go after Jewel and the others and help with the crisis at the Spix macaws' ravine!" barked Andromeda as she left on her bat-bird, Eragon on his in tow. Ophiuchus and Honeydew obeyed and called together the other archaeobirds with a series of short squeaky calls. With that, the archaeobirds gathered around the other birds on their bat-birds and prepared to fight the remaining bats, while some of the other birds helped deal with the casualties, among them Monique, Flavio (under Marinho's care, for Mainho had ushered Neptune and Ultramarine to leave and help Jewel and the others deal with the danger in the ravine) and of course Blu. Lightning flashed in the darkened sky and the first few raindrops dripped onto some of the trees as the battle between the birds and the allied flying foxes, and the flying foxes that had refused to accept the truth about the birds of the Amazon resumed their fight.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41- proposals and pairings up among the inferno**

 **Back in the ravine**

The Spix tribe's ravine air was filled with the sounds of angry bird and flying fox screeches accompanied by the clashing of weapons and the tearing of feathers of fur from skins. The sounds of fruit splattering stone and flying foxes also flooded the air as fruit flew from macaw and other bird talons at the foes. Carla, Bia, Tiago and the rest of the young adult birds apart from those that had young chicks and eggs, were fighting the intruders, the flying foxes that had managed to find the ravine. The sky above flashed with lightning and more raindrops began to fall from the thick layer of dark grey clouds.

Carla raised a stick and blocked a female flying fox's attempt to strike her down, glaring daggers with her opponent as the two were locked in a struggle. Then Carla heaved her stick and forced her opponent back before twirling her stick and bashing the flying fox on the head, knocking the bat out. She flashed a glance at Bia, Kira and Tiago who were throwing fruit at more flying foxes. Some of the fruit hit home but some of the others were deflected by the clever use of sticks by some of the other flying foxes. Then one of the flying foxes, a muscular male, a sharp-stick in its foot claws, charged towards the three Spix macaws.

"Look OUT!" barked Carla. With that, her brother, sister and cousin scattered, making the flying fox miss and accidentally skewer one of his allies, much to his horror. Carla winced when she saw the gruesome sight. Then she jumped again when she heard a massive thunderclap. At this, her green eye travelled to the skies as the raindrops began to increase.

"Brilliant," muttered she under her breath. The rain increased from a trickle to a greater downpour as the birds and bats in the ravine continued fighting. It was as though the weather had decided to set the stage for something more drastic. Some of the flying foxes were also aware of the increase in the rain's downpour. However, their colony-mates urged them to continue fighting.

"Afraid of the rain?" snarled the ringleader, "Stop acting like cowards and GET BACK TO WORK!"

At this, the flying foxes obeyed and the battle continued. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira continued battling more flying foxes. All four, alongside some of the other birds, had armed themselves with sticks and were now using them to deflect the vicious attacks from their opponents. Kira knocked one of her opponents backward against a giant lilypad so hard that a massive splash of water was generated, accompanied by a small wave that travelled and diverged across the ravine pool's surface. The splash also sent a shower flying over the flying fox and rained onto his black and red war-painted fur, washing off some of the paint and revealing patches of brown fur with scars slicing through them. Kira gasped in shock as part of her opponent's war paint fell off. However, she snapped out of her gaze and blocked an incoming blow from the flying fox as he threw his mace-like weapon at her. Now it was Kira's turn to be forced against a lilypad and the flying fox managed to heave the Spix macaw backwards onto another large green pad. Kira tumbled backwards on the lilypad and precariously close to the edge of the large green leaf. As Kira scrabbled to get away from the edge, the flying fox touched down before her, his mace-like weapon poised to attack.

"I can't wait to see our pups surf on these, Spix worm," he crooned, "But I think a watery grave would be just suitable for your DEATH."

And with that, he raised his mace and prepared to knock Kira into the water. Kira, realising that she was defenceless, raised her wings and whimpered when suddenly, a loud slam was heard, followed by a surprised screech from a flying fox. At this, Kira lowered her wings and saw Jojo fly away with his head in the bat's belly, having tackled him away from her. Then Jojo raised his claws and slashed the bat across the chest, drawing blood before clamping his beak onto his wing, making the flying fox screech in agony. After this, Jojo headbutted the bat and knocked him out. The flying fox flopped onto another lilypad below. Kira flew in.

"Thanks for that, Jojo," she said. Jojo smiled before rushing off to help some young hyacinth macaws deal with another flying fox.

Nearby, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Lavender and Felix were working together in fighting off more bats. All six were armed with sticks as well and Matilda carried a coconut in her talons. The six were surrounded by a ring of flying foxes, all armed with sharp-sticks and maces, their eyes glaring murderously at their targets, before they finally surged forward. The six Spix macaws raised their sticks and blocked the bats' attempts to skewer or bludgeon them. Matilda then raised the coconut she had in her talons and clouted her opponent on the head, making him faint, dazed. Then she turned to the other opponents and struck them on the head with the hard fruit as well.

"Don't you even THINK about hurting my siblings and cousins, you PESKY BRUTES!" she snarled as struck each one on the head. One by one, the flying foxes all fainted.

"Brilliant idea, Matilda," said Justin with a smile.

"Look OUT!" came Lavender's voice. At this, the six turned and saw another muscular male charge at them, a flail-like weapon being spun above his head. The six Spix macaws all scattered before the large bat that was twice their size and possibly three times as strong had chance to strike any of them with the lethal spike ball on his stick. Then a split-second later, a pale purple-blur blur charged in and jumped right onto his back, her eyes ablaze with pale blue flames for the fighting part of her had fired up. Then without hesitation, Lavender began to score her claws down the flying fox's back, making him writhe and screech in agony. Felix, Justin, Matilda, Charlotte and Virgil watched in amazement as the Spix macaw continued mercilessly raking her claws and biting the bat, screeching furiously. The bat's flail then fell out of his wings and plummeted into the ravine pool water below.

"It's just like back in Jurassic jungle when she took on that predatory bat-bird when it snatched Miranda and almost made a meal out of her," whispered Felix.

"Go for it, Lavender!" cheered Virgil.

"Show that bat who's boss!" shouted Justin. While the bat continued to violently writhe and bolt in an attempt to dislodge Lavender from his back, Músculo, Turquesa, Aurora, Tyler, Ricardo and Garrett, who flew clumsily due to his tail still missing most of its feathers but had decided to join in the battle regardless, flew in and when they saw the struggle, they drew in shocked gasps.

"Lavender!" cried Garrett. Lavender did not hear him and continued her relentless attack on the bat, clamping her beak onto his head hair and tearing out a beak-ful of fur, inflicting him with agonising pain. Then the bat finally snapped.

"That's IT!" he bellowed and with that, he bolted violently to fling Lavender into the air, twirled round and struck the purple-blue Spix macaw across the face with a membranous wing, hard. Lavender, stunned by the blow, fluttered clumsily as the bat, his back crisscrossed with bleeding scratches from the claw marks Lavender had given him, prepared to dive down at her to savagely attack. However, a blue comet rushed in and ploughed right into his stomach. The bat cried in shock as Garrett tackled him away from Lavender.

"Don't you DARE even touch my GIRLFRIEND, you BEASTLY PIECE OF WORK!" he snarled as he did it. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Felix watched on as the bat then glared daggers at Garrett and raised his foot claws before pausing, a sense of familiarity bubbling within him.

"You're that same macaw who attempted to attack us when we tried making off with some of your friends," he murmured. Garrett, however, glared back at the flying fox.

"That's doesn't make a difference, birdbrain," he replied bluntly and with that, he lashed at the bat and slashed his claws right across his face. Músculo, Turquesa, Aurora, Tyler and Ricardo, together with Lavender, Felix, Justin, Matilda, Charlotte and Virgil, all winced as the flying fox's blood flew from his face, accompanied by screeches of pain exploding from his mouth. Then his wings went to his face where Garrett had struck, and he flopped onto the bank of the ravine pool and continued to cry in agony while Garrett looked on nonchalantly.

"Nice work, Garrett," said Aurora. Garrett was about to reply when suddenly, the group found themselves surrounded by more flying foxes.

"Save the complements till later," said Garrett and with that, the group got prepared to battle these bats.

Not too far away, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan, together with a few other Lear's macaws and green macaws including Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, Aramis and Ash were engaged in a sword-like duel with more flying foxes, their sticks clashing wildly with the weapons of the bats. Phoebe ducked to avoid a blow to the head from a swing of her opponent's hammer-like weapon, a stone tied to a stick, before retaliating with a tackle to the belly, knocking the bat back. Annette struck down her opponent with a blow to the head with her stick while Jasmine and Squaw'tagnan lured some more flying foxes into the range of Miranda and her siblings and two friends, allowing them to charge the bats and viciously attack them. Next to the green and Lear's macaws, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre, together with Estelle, Byron, Regina, Benjamin and Sheldon and also some blue-and-gold macaws, among them Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus, Brooke, Porthos and Bastian, were working together to drive any flying fox that strayed too close to the waterfall cave. Porthos tackled a bat away just as it was about to stab Mimas and Ganymede from behind while they were occupied with another bat.

"This is what Athos is missing out on," he said after he had done it.

"Well at least he's safe and away from these armed brutes, I can tell you," said Ganymede as he kicked another bat in the stomach.

"With an injured foot still in the process of healing," added Mimas as she rammed one end of her stick (unsharpened) into the belly of another flying fox, "He'd probably do himself even more damage…"

She whirled round and struck down another flying fox as it tried to hit her with a hammer-like weapon. Nearby, Tethys, Dione and Rhea forced back more flying foxes towards Brooke, Bastian, Io, Europa and Sheldon who knocked them out with their sticks with a blow each to the head. Some of the flying foxes fainted and crashed into the sandy banks of the ravine pool but some quickly recovered and resumed the fight in a matter of seconds. Io looked on in astonishment.

"Those bats honestly must have impressive amount of stamina and endurance," she said.

"Not to mention determination," said Europa.

"Too much if you ask me," said Sheldon. Then the group resumed attacking these bats. Callisto, Enceladus and Rhea continued fighting a large muscular bat, lightning flashing in the sky and the rain increasing in downpour. As the three forced the bat towards the ravine pool's surface, Callisto dived down and kicked up a splash of water at the opponent.

"I think you ought to come up with a better design for your body paint, you horrible looking winged furball," she snarled as the water splashed all over the face and chest of the bat, much to his shock.

"Yeah, absolutely," said Enceladus in agreement as he and Rhea splashed him with more water. As the water engulfed the bat, most of his body paint began to run. The red rings around his eyes and the blood-like drips below them began to distort while patches of orange fur laced with scars began to show through the black coat of war paint as it was washed off. The bat gazed at his ruined body paint in utter horror.

"Hey, I've spent ages painting myself with this!" he cried. Suddenly, two small red comets with green and blue wings rushed in and tackled him into the shallow part of the ravine pool. Phobos and Deimos had charged in to knock the bat away from Callisto, Enceladus and Rhea. As the bat landed into the water with a splash, the water thrown up by the impact was coloured black and a black and red cloud had formed beneath the splash as the flying fox's paint was washed off. Phobos and Deimos backed away as the bat struggled and thrashed about in the water, the rest of his body paint melting away with the water drips. Soon, he was nothing more than a plain orange furred bat whose pelage was crisscrossed with countless scars from a large number of battles against birds in his past. The group of macaws gazed down at the bat as he struggled to the shore.

"As you can see," said Phobos smugly, "Their body paint is only a mere façade. THAT'S their true appearance," he nodded to the bat's natural pelage colour.

"As well as their cowardice," put in Deimos. The flying fox then glared daggers at the birds.

"I'm gonna TEAR YA FEATHERS OUT for THIS, you FEATHERED WORMS!" he bellowed and tried to loft into flight. However, his drenched wing membranes prevented him from doing so for flying foxes could not fly very well with sodden wings and fur. At this, the bat released a roar of frustration as the macaws turned their backs on him.

"Sorry, but we don't have time to watch your temper tantrum," said Rhea as the group of blue-and-gold, scarlet and green-winged macaws left to help another group. The bat was then left to throw a hissy fit at his defeat.

As the battle continued to rage, some of the flying foxes managed to fight past the birds and as soon as they had done this, they rushed straight for the waterfall and the cave behind it. Eduardo, as he helped Carla, Bia and Tiago fend off more bats, flinched in horror.

"DRIVE THOSE BATS AWAY FROM THE WATERFALL CAVE!" he bellowed. At this, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys and Dione, together with Ganymede, some Spix macaws and also Eustace, Milo and Rosa, rushed off for the bats as they neared the entrance to the cave. In the cave, the other birds saw the black and red forms of the murderous flying foxes as they neared the entrance to the cave and backed away. Parents huddled their young chicks and eggs closer to them while the older chicks huddled against each other or their older relatives. Chilro, Ophelia, Luke, Linda, Azurite and Aquamarine quivered and huddled against Gael while Gabrielle (Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre's younger sister) huddled against her green-winged macaw carer as the flying foxes' war cries sent shivers down their spines. Suddenly, some colourful comets rushed in and tackled the bats away before they could enter the cave. Spyro then hopped onto his bat-bird and seized a rock. Then with a command to his mouth, he charged towards the entrance of the waterfall cave despite protests from the other birds. Just outside the waterfall cave, a struggle was going on. Tethys and Dione had clamped their claws onto the wings of one bat while Eustace, Milo and Rosa drove away two more bats. Eustace clawed one of the bats' wings, making the bat drop his sharp-stick into the water of the ravine pool below and cry in pain while Milo and Rosa chased off the other bat by biting and clawing at her. Diantha, Clemont and Serena also came in to help when suddenly, a red, yellow and blue blur screeching a horrified squawk was thrown their way. Eustace, Milo and Rosa cried in shock as Ganymede careened past and slammed into Diantha, throwing her into a clumsy flutter briefly. As the two recovered, Eustace flew over to Ganymede as he grasped his belly for one of the flying foxes had whacked him hard with its stick.

"Ganymede, are you alright?" asked Eustace. Mimas also flew in as Ganymede raised his head, his face twisted into one of pain.

"You might want to rest," she said but Ganymede, despite his belly crying in pain, scowled.

"Not until this job is done!" he snapped and with that, he charged back at his opponent and tackled the bat away from the waterfall cave as it tried to approach and enter the birds' hiding place again. Mimas, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Diantha, Clemont and Serena then flew in to help.

While they continued fighting, Virgil flew over to Bia after she had struck down another bat.

"Bia," he called, "I have a question to ask."

"What is that?" asked Bia as she turned to fight off another bat armed with a sharp-stick. Virgil flew in to help drive it away. After this, he took hold of Bia's talons in his own.

"Will you be my mate?" he asked, making Bia stiffen, stunned at this question at a time like this.

"I don't think this is the appropriate time to ask that, Virgil," said she before turning to fend off another bat armed with a mace. Virgil came in and clawed the bat across the face, making it drop its mace and fly away. Then the two faced each other again.

"Look, I have already decided," said Virgil, taking hold of Bia's talons again, "In case we don't make it out of this mess alive."

Bia's eyes sparkled at this suggestion. Nearby, Justin saw Virgil as he proposed to Bia and decided to do the same to Carla. Tiago also proposed to Matilda while Jojo did the same to Kira. Ganymede also asked Mimas to be his mate, much to her astonishment. The same was repeated with Músculo with Charlotte, Garrett with Lavender, Felix with Turquesa and also Tyler with Aurora. Squaw'tagnan also proposed to Phoebe while Azul proposed to Fernanda while the blue-throated macaws helped to drive away some of the bats from the waterfall cave. Virgil continued to gaze lovingly into Bia's eyes.

"You know I love you very much," said he. Bia then turned to Eduardo as he tackled another bat away from the waterfall cave, Fernanda, Azul, Wilbur and Aurelio helping.

"Pop-pop!" cried Bia. Eduardo flashed her a glance as he had one of the bats by the throat.

"Sorry, Bia, but I'm too busy," he replied and resumed throttling the flying fox. Carla and Justin flew in with Tiago and Matilda and the other couples.

"We've made the same decision to become mates here and now," said Tiago.

"But shouldn't we wait until our parents come back to approve of our decisions?" asked Charlotte.

"I think Pop-pop will do just that," said Bia, "After all, he is my, Carla and Tiago's grandfather and a part of Dad's family including Kira through Dad's pairing with Mom."

Carla then tried calling to Eduardo.

"Pop-pop!" she cried, "Give us your approval of us becoming mates!"

Eduardo threw down the flying fox in his talons and turned to Carla, Bia and Tiago wearing the same pleading facial expressions as they hovered with their significant others.

"Not right now, my granddaughter," Eduardo cried back, "We've still got a lot of work to do."

"Eduardo," snapped Mimi as she drove away another bat, "Grant your grandchildren's wish!"

Eduardo, at this, emitted a sigh of defeat and proceeded to give his approval of Carla, Bia and Tiago's pairing with Justin, Virgil and Matilda respectively. After knocking down another flying fox, Eduardo started advising the males.

"Tiago, Justin and Virgil," he said, "If you're going to become the lifelong mates of Matilda, Carla and Bia, will you stay with them for the rest of your lives?"

As he said this, a flying fox rushed in and attempted to batter Eduardo with his sharp-stick but the former Spix patriarch turned round and slashed him across the face.

"…Not allowing these interfering nuisances with fur and membranous wings to interrupt of course," snarled he as he did it. Then Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda and Virgil, together with the others, found themselves surrounded by more flying foxes. At this, they were forced to resume their battle. Justin and Carla paused briefly to face each other.

"Will you definitely be my lifelong mate, Carla?" asked Justin.

"Yes, absolutely," said Carla. Then the couple resumed fighting a large flying fox armed with a mace. Then Virgil and Bia took their turn to pause.

"So that is a yes to my question?" asked Virgil. Bia nodded. Nearby, Tiago asked Matilda, "Will you also be my mate and have a family with me when this is over?"

"Oh, yes," said Matilda. Then the two, along with Bia and Virgil, whirled round to fight off more flying foxes, Bia dodging a sharp-stick attack from one of them and retaliating with a wing-slap across her opponent's face, making her opponent to drop her sharp-stick. Then Virgil rushed in and tackled the stunned bat away. Tiago and Matilda worked together in rapidly circling another flying fox, making him very dizzy. Then Jojo and Kira rushed in and struck him together on the head, knocking him out. Jojo took Kira's talon in his own.

"Do you also take me to be your lifelong mate, Kira?" asked Jojo.

"I do," said Kira, before resuming her fight with another flying fox, Jojo helping. Músculo also asked Charlotte will she be his lifelong mate and she also replied. Felix, Tyler and Garrett also asked the same of Turquesa, Aurora and Lavender and the three females also replied yes. The same happened between Ganymede and Mimas, and also Sheldon and Io, Byron and Europa, Alexandre and Estelle, Benjamin with his great green girlfriend Umbriel, and also Porthos and Dione, Enceladus with his hyacinth girlfriend Trixie, and the rest of the couples as well.

While Charon smiled at Neytiri's reply that she will be his mate, Triton called the two as another large flying fox forced him against a rock on the cliff face with his sharp-stick.

"Hey, Chartiri (Charon and Neytiri's shipping name), a little help over here please?" he shouted. At this, Charon and Neytiri charged at the bat and raked their claws across his face, making the bat cry in pain and escape, freeing Triton.

"Thank you," said Triton with a smile.

"No problem," said Charon and with that, he and Neytiri left to help some other glaucous macaws, among them Quincy and Flor to fend off more flying foxes. Triton then turned to help Penelope and Indigo subdue another bat, Triton also proposing to Penelope in the process as well. Victor, while he helped Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Mariposa and Kiawe to drive off a few more bats, removed his fruit shell hat and tossed it at the flying fox viciously attacking Alessandro and Rhiannon. The hat spun like a human's Frisbee and struck the flying fox square on the nose. The flying fox, stunned, fell backwards after receiving a double talon strike from both chestnut-fronted macaws. Victor swooped in and seized his hat before donning it.

"Yes!" he cried triumphantly. Nearby, some golden conures, blue-headed macaws and chestnut-fronted macaws pelted three more bats with fruit when suddenly, startled cries exploded from nearby. At this, Victor snapped his gaze and to his horror, he saw Aramis and Miranda as they were both forced against one of the lilypads on the ravine pool, a particularly large flying fox swiping at them with a flail-like weapon. Miranda screamed while Aramis spread his wings protectively across her body as the spike-ball on the bat's weapon swept dangerously close to his face. The flying fox's face was twisted into the most sadistic look the two great green macaws had ever seen. Nearby, Umbriel and Benjamin also struggled to fend off another skilled flying fox armed with a sharp-stick.

"MIRANDA, ARAMIS!" cried Victor as he looked on in horror. Miranda let loose another scream when Aramis's beak suddenly clamped onto the coconut fibres connecting the spike-ball to the stick, much to the bat's shock. Then the bat's face turned into one of pure rage and he yanked his flail out of Aramis's beak. Aramis released the fibres as some of the porcupine spines jabbed him in the face. The two great green macaws then looked up in horror as the bat then raised his flail above him, cackling evilly. Victor took off his hat and was about to toss it at the bat when suddenly, "DON'T YOU DARE harm those feathered friends of OURS, YOU BRUTE!"

At this, Victor, together with Aramis and Miranda, snapped their gaze from the evil bat to see three white comets rocket in from behind the waterfall cave.

Sebastian rushed straight for the bat attacking Miranda and Aramis while Stella and Luna made a beeline for the one attacking Umbriel and Benjamin, Spyro following close behind on his bat-bird. Sebastian's eyes blazed with pale pink-red fire and his white fur was bristled. Then as soon as he was close to the large bat, Sebastian jumped onto his back and sank his teeth into the large bat's back. The bat screeched in pain and dropped his flail, freeing Miranda and Aramis, and began to try and dislodge Sebastian from his back but Sebastian held on tightly. Then a navy blue blur jumped in to help. Victor began to claw the bat from the front mercilessly. Nearby, Stella and Luna, together with Spyro and his bat-bird, had launched a vicious attack on the bat attacking Benjamin and Umbriel, much to their surprise. Spyro and Stella flashed the two a nod before continuing to bite and claw the bat. Then Umbriel turned to Benjamin and said, "So, the question of the proposal of us being mates for life's been settled?"

Benjamin replied by taking hold of Umbriel's face and bringing her close to his beak. The scarlet/great green couple then began to kiss passionately while Stella, Luna, Spyro and Spyro's bat-bird continued attacking the couple's would-be attacker. Spyro flashed the couple a small as they continued to kiss. Somewhere else, Virgil also kissed Bia passionately, while Tiago kissed Matilda, Justin kissed Carla, Músculo kissed Charlotte and Ganymede kissed Mimas. Tyler kissed Aurora, Jojo also kissed Kira, Felix kissed Turquesa and Garrett kissed Lavender and the other couples also did the same. Among the inferno bloomed a few dozen newly paired mates, all sealed with a kiss. Then after kissing, the couples broke away to continue fighting the bats. However, they, together with the other birds and also Sebastian, Stella and Luna, were unaware of a familiar fiendish figure that had made it to the ravine. An armed flying fox, his right eye greyed out and his fur covered in black and red fruit war paint which had begun to run as the rain began to increase, perched on top of one of the clkiffs of the Spix tribe's ravine. With him were two smaller bats, his son and daughter who had come to help. The evil bat's left eye then began to scour the fight still going on in the ravine until it landed on Carla, Bia and Tiago as they fought alongside Virgil, Justin and Matilda.Then his eye found some of the other birds, among them Ganymede and Mimas and also Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Diantha, Clemont and Serena while the eyes of the son and daughter landed on their cousins Sebastian, Stella and Luna as they helped Aramis and Miranda to their feet on one of the lilypads. An evil smile crept into the mouths of all three bats.

"So here's where you lot are definitely hiding, eh?" crooned the large bat, his weapon clutched firmly in his wing and his left eye, the only functioning eye, burning with bloodlust, "Well, PREPARE TO FACE THE MOST INFAMOUS FLYING FOX IN OUR COLONY!"

And with that, Cicatriz, together with Iago and Veruca, took off from the clifftop and dived into the ravine, Dracula-like laughs of evil escaping Cicatriz's mouth as lightning flashed frighteningly in the stormy sky.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42- explosions of rage and horror**

 **Meanwhile**

The rain had increased to a larger downpour and the winds had begun to pick up, making the branches of the trees waver with the gusts. Through the rainy forest, a group of birds and a few bats were flying like rockets in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine, sticking to the most sheltered areas of the canopy where the rain downpour was reduced for non-water birds and flying foxes could not fly very well with drenched feathers or membranous wings. Velocity, Orion, Lightning and Cometa flew at the front with Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa close behind. Jupiter, Mars, Chiquitita and Felipe and Pearl flew closely behind the Spix macaws and the falcons. Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, Cobalto, Ultramarine, Mercury and Sapphire flew behind the red macaws while Andromeda, Eragon and some of the other birds including Murphy and Abigail the chestnut-fronted macaws, and Jairo and Skyla the blue-headed macaws, the parents of Alessandro and Mariposa respectively flew behind them. Alongside the group flew Augustus and Melissa and also Travis, Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro and Sparkle and Rose who rode on Eva and Rafael's back for they were too small to keep up with the bigger birds and flying foxes.

When Travis and company (excluding Sunset) had crossed paths with Jewel and the others, the latter had been utterly shocked at their presence but Travis and company had joined the group as they continued their journey to the Spix tribe's ravine, the worry for Carla, Bia, Tiago and the others there raging in their minds as violently as the storm around them. Melissa was nearly thrown off balance as a gust of wind caught her but Augustus and Eragon caught her before she could veer into a tree.

"I hope we're not too late!" cried Venus stressfully as thoughts about Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil and also her and Zephyr's two younger chicks, Azurite and Aquamarine, flashed in her mind. Jewel also shuddered at the thought of seeing her father Eduardo, aunt Mimi and her two daughters Carla and Bia and son Tiago, along with her two additional chicks, Luke and Linda, all lying on pools of blood, dead, with a group of flying foxes standing over their carcases, gloating triumphantly and fiendishly. The very thought of those bats taking some of the feathers of those birds to add to their collection of trophies also made her stomach lurch. The same feeling was mirrored within Roberto and Brisa as they thought about Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia, and the other macaws also had that same feeling about their offspring and the others as well. Saturn began to shudder.

"I can't have any of our sons, daughters or other relatives who have been through enough already having their lives jeopardised again, least of all mine and Orquidea's," he cried as extreme dread for his nine offspring caused a massive adrenaline tsunami through his blood vessels. He shuddered as he remembered Enceladus almost getting killed during the flying foxes' siege on the Bluewing Clan and the blue-throated macaws, how Dione was almost taken during the attempted kidnap of her, along with Spock, Tiago and Lavender and how Rhea had suffered a dislocated wing during the same incident. Furthermore, what Orquidea had been through in that terrible place known infamously as the interrogation patch added to his immense worry. Now the very thought of all nine of his offspring being in danger at the clutches of those murderous flying foxes, including his two younger sons Hyperion and Gordon, had set Saturn to absolute breaking point. The thought of Cicatriz finding the ravine also made it worse.

Travis also fretted for Eustace, Milo and Rosa, his only three children and also Clemont, Serena and Diantha. If any of them ever came face to face with the deranged colony patriarch, which Travis, along with Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose, did not know much about, the consequences could be dire. Augustus and Melissa also worried for Sebastian, Stella and Luna as they flew alongside the birds. As the pale brown-orange wall of the Spix tribe's ravine melted into view through the stormy downpour, the group accelerated towards it and began to find the entrance for flying up the cliff face to the clifftops would expose them too much to the elements, and those elements were getting worse. As the group flew around the outskirts of the Spix tribe's home, they heard the sounds of a battle going on.

"Oh, no," murmured Jupiter.

"There's definitely a battle going on," said Saturn. This prompted the group to accelerate on. The group feared the worst, especially Augustus and Melissa.

"Don't tell me that some of the…" began Augustus but as the entrance came into view and the group surged through it, his question was immediately answered. After entering the ravine, the moment Jewel and the others' eyes landed on the source of the sound, their hearts dropped like stones in water. Raging before the group was indeed a battle between some flying foxes and some of the evacuated macaws, and Uranus picked out Miranda, Aramis and Ariel as they viciously attacked a sharp-stick armed bat. Andromeda and Eragon also released squeaky chirps of horror as they saw a flash of metallic violet and blue of their son Spyro among the crowd of brawling birds and bats.

"Daddy!" cried Jewel when she saw a familiar cerulean form get thrown back by a bat, crashing hard onto the soft soil at the foot of a tree. Augustus and Melissa lost patience.

"Let's not just hover here," snarled Augustus, "Let's fly in and HELP!"

Then without another moment's hesitation, the group surged towards the battle crowd and joined in the fray.

Milo, Rosa and Clemont herded a group of five bats towards a group of blue-headed macaws, among them Kiawe and Mariposa, all armed with fruit and as soon as the bats were within range, the blue-headed birds began to pelt them with the fruit. Splats and the sound of hard fruit hitting a body erupted as the five bats struggled to get out of the barrage of flying fruit flung by blue-headed macaw talons. Milo, Rosa and Clemont watched on.

"Go for it, blue-headed macaws!" cried Rosa, cheering the group on. Suddenly, a voice shouted, "LOOK OUT!"

At this, the three cockatoos turned round in time to see another furry comet rush in towards them, a stick in its foot claws. Alarmed, the three tried to escape but Milo was struck in the stomach. He careened out of the air and landed on his front on one of the giant lilypads. Milo groaned as the pain from the attack crippled him.

"MILO!" cried Rosa and Clemont. Then the bat that had struck Milo down with her stick then touched down onto the lilypad and advanced towards the downed cockatoo, her stick poised to beat him.

"Now I've got you, you crested slug!" she snarled but before she could bring her weapon down to inflict another injury on Milo, a white and yellow comet appeared out of nowhere and tackled the bat away. Clemont and Rosa then turned to see more new comets rush in and strike down more bats in the air. When they recognised then newcomers, joy washed over them.

"DAD!" cried Rosa jubilantly as she saw the white and yellow form, which was Travis, attacked Milo's attacker and drove her away.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON, YOU MENACE!" he snarled and with one final slash of his claws to the face, the female flew away to avoid further damage. Travis then turned round to help Milo to his feet just as Clemont, Rosa, and Eustace and Serena touched down to greet him. Above the cockatoos, Carla, Bia and Tiago were glad to see Jewel as she rescued them from another bat, as were Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan as Mercury and Sapphire helped to drive away their attackers. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Tyler and Ricardo also smiled at Zephyr, Venus, Roberto and Brisa as they helped to attack more bats. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre also saw Mars, Jupiter and Chiquitita as did Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus with Saturn, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon with Uranus, Triton and Indigo with Neptune and Ultramarine, Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor with Pluto, and Wilbur, Aurelio and Azul with Cobalto. The other birds also smiled as they watched their parents and relatives help to attack the bats. While the birds continued fighting the bats, Augustus and Melissa still searched for Sebastian, Stella and Luna amongst the crowd. Then Jewel's eyes caught sighted the familiar form as he struggled in the soil. At this, she rocketed over to him, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira in tow.

"DADDY!" cried Jewel as she touched down by her struggling father. Carla, Bia, Tiago and Kira then began to help him to his feet, some other macaws also coming in. Eduardo looked dazed. Like Flavio, he was not young as he once was and the impact on the soil had sent a massive shockwave coursing through his aged bones. However, he did not suffer any fractures much to the relief of his daughter, grandkids and friends.

"I'm fine," he told the others, "Just suffered a bit of a jolt…"

"Fine?" snapped Victor with a frown, "Eduardo, this battle is proving too much for you. You need to rest."

Jewel flashed the hat-wearing hyacinth macaw an agreeing look. Eduardo opened his beak to protest but then went along with Victor's suggestion.

Not too far away, Sebastian, Stella and Luna finished knocking out another bat with a stick each when suddenly, they heard the most scornful and detested voices ring out from behind them.

"Well, hello, my good-for-nothing misfit cousins," crooned a male voice.

"We're surprised to see you help out these feathered worms," said a female. At this, the three albino bats dropped their weapons as dread stung them like a swarm of bees. However, they had already recognised the owners of those two voices. Sebastian's face morphed into one of disgust and hatred and he boldly turned round to face the brown male bat and the pale orange and white female bat just his and Stella and Luna's age glare at him and his sisters with acidic and scornful faces. In their wings were mini-sharp-sticks which these two bats had used in battering bird dummies in the fighting classes. Stella and Luna's eyes then landed on the two bats and when they did, the two girls flinched but Sebastian stood his ground.

"Well, hello, Iago and Veruca," said Sebastian flatly, "What brings you both here to the ravine that belongs to a tribe of Spix macaws?"

"This ravine does NOT belong to those blue macaw SLUGS!" snapped Iago, spittle flying from his mouth as he yelled at his cousin, "It belongs to US, the FLYING FOX COLONY!"

"What does a bunch of feathered disaster causers, like these cerulean feathered worms, deserve to live in such a pristine ravine anyway?" added Veruca and with that, she and her brother began to advance towards Sebastian and his sisters. Then Stella boldly stepped forward, all shock gone, while Luna's wing slowly crept towards a few small sticks, then action concealed by Sebastian.

"Feathered disaster causers?" retorted Stella, "Who are you calling disaster causers?"

"Are you meaning to say that these poor innocent birds are the causers of like logging and poaching, for instance?" asked Sebastian, a wing gesturing to the birds as they continued fighting the bats, "THAT is absolutely NOT TRUE at ALL! The REAL causers of logging and poaching are HUMANS, not BIRDS! What did any of these birds do to provoke those humans from destroying our habitats or taking animals as possessions for themselves, anyway?"

"And how does a trio of cowardly white misfits like YOU who reject our teachings make US look in front of every other pup in the colony, anyway?" retorted Iago. Then Veruca stepped forward, her sharp-stick in wing.

"WE have had to put up with the humiliation of being the cousins of three cowardly bats who refuse to fight birds throughout our lessons," she snarled, her fur bristling, "All because YOU THREE wouldn't participate in those fights!"

"It's because it's WRONG to fight innocent birds without provocation," snapped Sebastian. Luna then carefully dragged in three sticks and handed one to Stella behind Sebastian, eyes on Veruca and Iago to make sure that they did not see anything suspicious. Then Luna prepared to lash out at Veruca and Iago as the two began to advance towards the albino trio, their sharp-sticks hovering threateningly in their wings.

"I think it's time you three faced the consequences," crooned Iago scornfully, "And because Daddy is here, he's gonna wanna slaughter you three as if you were FEATHERED WORMS…"

And with that, he lurched forward towards Sebastian with an enraged screech, his sharp-stick aiming for Sebastian's chest. However, Sebastian dodged by diving to one side and before Iago knew it; a stick swung out of nowhere and struck him square in the face. The young bat flew and crashed onto his side before looking up to see Luna glare at him, a stick in her wing. Then Sebastian got up and stood beside her and Stella.

"Didn't see THAT coming didn't you?" he scoffed. Then Veruca charged in at the three albino bats but Sebastian picked up a stick and struck it into Veruca's belly, knocking her down and making her sharp-stick fly out of her wing. Iago finally snapped.

"We're NOT GONNA allow YOU FEEBLE COWARDS to OUTSMART US, you NO COUSINS OF OURS!" he snarled and with that, he leaped at Sebastian while Veruca got up and tackled into Stella and Luna. Then the fight between the cousins erupted as Sebastian and Iago spun, a whirling blur of white, pale grey, black and brown, along the dirt until Iago slammed Sebastian against the tree, a wing to the throat and cutting off his breathing. Iago's eyes blazed brown fire and his mouth bore teeth as he watched his cousin struggle to breathe, the grip on his neck so strong. Then Iago felt searing pain explode through his belly as Sebastian's foot claws reached up and slashed down them. Iago screeched and released Sebastian who then dived at him and began to attack him. Stella, Luna and Veruca also fought by clashing sticks and biting at each other.

While Sebastian, Stella and Luna continued fighting Iago and Veruca, the battle between the birds and the remaining flying foxes continued to rage in the rain. Mars helped Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle to tackle another bat away while Chiquitita did a body press on another bat by flying above her opponent and dropping hard onto him. Both the small green-winged macaw and the bat slammed into one of the lilypads, the bat crushed between the leaf and Chiquitita. Though it was a soft landing, the force of the impact was enough to stun the bat. Nearby, Orion, Velocity, Cometa and Lightning helped to drive away more bats as they tried advancing towards the waterfall cave where the other vulnerable birds were. Carla, Bia and Tiago hovered about, looking for an opportunity to help their friends. However, they were unaware that several bats, along with the infamous colony patriarch, were sneaking up behind them. The group was armed with vines and were ready to pounce onto the trio. Another flying fox then swooped in and charged headfirst into Neptune's belly, knocking him back into one of the walls of the ravine and drawing the breath out of him. As Neptune struggled to regain balance of his flight, the flying fox prepared to skewer him through the chest with his sharp-stick when suddenly, seven turquoise or blue and grey comets rushed in and knocked the bat away. Pluto, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry, Flor, Neytiri and Aiden had charged in to save Neptune from getting impaled by the bat and to allow him time to recover from the hit against the wall. Nearby the glaucous macaws, Uranus began to look around for a certain bat as he drove away two more bats with Umbriel, Benjamin, Felipe, Titania, Oberon and Ash.

"Cicatriz doesn't seem to be here either," he said as he punched one of the bats in the face with a clenched talon to knock him out.

"Well, that's good to know," said Felipe as he scratched the other bat across the chest with his claws, "That flying fox is horrible deranged and highly dangerous you know."

"At least we're winning this battle," said Roberto as he helped Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Turquesa and Garrett to take down more bats. Nearby, Nico struck another bat in the face with his bottle cap hat while Pedro, Rafael, Eva, Sparkle and Rose helped some golden conures, among them Caspian and Citrine, to drive away more bats. Then Rafael flashed a confused glance at Uranus.

"Who's 'Psycho-triss'?" asked he, mispronouncing the name. However, no sooner than the question had escaped his orange and black beak when suddenly, a piercing scream, three of them, actually, exploded into the ravine air, accompanied by a violent thunderclap and flash of lightning. This sent alarm tearing through the birds, especially Jewel, Virgil, Charlotte, Justin and Matilda and Eduardo and Mimi, for they had recognised those sounds.

"CARLA, BIA, TIAGO!" cried Justin. With that, they, together with some of the other birds, shot glances this way and that until Caspian's eyes landed on the sources of the screams. However, when they did, Caspian's heart and blood froze.

"Guys, LOOOK!" he shouted, a talon shooting like a bullet in the direction of what he saw. At this, the other birds and also Augustus and Melissa followed Caspian's point but the moment their eyes found Carla, Bia and Tiago, the bloods of all of them, especially that of Jewel, Eduardo, Mimi, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Kira, Roberto, Zephyr, Brisa and Venus, froze into ice by extreme horror.

Carla, Bia and Tiago were held by some of the bats, four of which were muscular, tightly bound with very tough vines. Their cries for help were then cut off as another piece of vine was tied around each of their beaks. The moment she saw her three first-brood offspring in danger, Jewel, together with Justin, Matilda and Virgil, rocketed forward when suddenly, a familiar face appeared from behind the captured macaws. His left eye pierced the group with most chilling gaze Jewel and the others had ever seen, his mouth spread across his face into the evilest smile he had ever had. Augustus and Melissa felt extreme horror tear through them when they recognised the bat.

"CICATRIZ!?" barked Augustus in disbelief but what the bat, Cicatriz, said next chilled the group, especially Jewel, Justin, Matilda, Virgil, Charlotte, Eduardo and Mimi, to the bone.

"Stay where you are, or these three Spix worms DIIIEEEE!" cried the one-eyed bat maniacally. And with that, he ordered his minions to carry the bound Carla, Bia and Tiago, their pleading eyes desperately calling to their friends for help, rocketed off towards a cliff, up it and then over the clifftops of the ravine, disappearing into the stormy jungle. Jewel then called together some of the birds.

"AFTER THAT BAT AND HIS MINIONS!" she bellowed. At this, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Roberto, Eduardo, Mimi, Venus, Zephyr, Brisa and Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Kira charged after the bats. Augustus also followed. Before he left, Augustus shouted to Jupiter, Felipe, Eragon and Andromeda and Melissa, "You lot take care of the remaining bats while I help Jewel and the others rescue those three Spix macaws from my deranged brother's clutches!"

"Okay, you be careful!" cried Melissa and without wasting any more time, Augustus dashed off after the Spix macaws, leaving his mate to help the birds deal with the remaining flying foxes in the ravine. While the battle continued to rage, some more newcomers arrived, but they weren't more flying foxes, but some of the mysterious cloaked birds. As they entered the ravine, the leader called to them to charge into the battle and help the birds and Melissa deal with the last of the flying foxes while a few of them chased after Augustus after seeing him leave, knowing that something was very wrong and wanting to help.

Back among the trees close to the ravine pool, Sebastian, Stella and Luna continued battling Iago and Veruca. Sebastian's stick slammed against Iago's sharp-stick and the two wrestled against each other. During this, Iago gazed evilly into Sebastian's face.

"You know, there's one thing that you haven't learned properly, whiteface," he crooned.

"And what's that?" snapped Sebastian. Iago answered this by forcing his cousin back, making him tumble backward and land on his backside. His stick flew away, much to Sebastian's shock. Then he found himself face to face with the point of the sharp-stick held by Iago. The point was aiming for his chest where his heart was. While this happened, a navy blue form peered out from behind a tree trunk.

"Fighting with sharp-sticks, that's what," hissed Iago evilly. He then prepared to stab Sebastian through the heart with his stick. However, Sebastian remained bold.

"Given the choice, I would have continued training to use a sharp-stick but it won't be fighting against innocent birds," he retorted, "It would be for self-defence, like from a snake or something."

"You sure do like anything that is feathered, don't you, softie," crooned Iago and with that, he raised his sharp-stick and prepared to stab Sebastian but the albino adolescent rolled out of the way, sending the point jamming into the dirt. With Iago's guard lowered, Sebastian seized him by wrapping his wings around Iago's head and shoulders and began to wrestle him to the ground. Iago retaliated by attempting to bite Sebastian's wings to free himself but Sebastian had one of his wings tightly over his mouth. During the skirmish, Bramco unintentionally slammed his cousin hard against a tree trunk, catching Iago's wing between his body and the hard bark. Then extreme pain exploded from Iago's right wing after a small crack was heard, causing Iago to shriek in agony. Then after forcing his cousin to the ground, Iago begged Sebastian to stop fighting him. At this, Sebastian did so as Iago's other wing went to clutch his broken right wing, his face twisted in agony and hisses escaping through his gritted teeth. However, through the extreme pain, Iago glared maliciously at the albino bat.

"You're gonna PAY FOR THIS, you RUNT!" he hissed through gritted teeth. Sebastian, at this, stood there, confused. Then he backed away as Iago struggled to his feet, his left wing constantly clutching his fractured right. Based on this, Sebastian knew that Iago would have little chance of continuing his fight against him without further injuring himself. Nearby, Stella and Luna had managed to overpower Veruca and knock her out with a blow to the head with each of their sticks. After this, the two young bats rushed over to their older brother and hugged him. Sebastian returned the hug and flashed one final glance at Iago, seeing now that there was nothing that could be done to convince this stubborn bat of the truth and the facts. However, the three bats were unaware that they were being watched. A pair of malicious eyes belonging to a large figure was watching them like a hawk from a patch of ferns. Then the form began to make its move. From his own hiding place, Triton continued to watch Sebastian, Stella and Luna as they prepared to leave the injured Iago as he continued clutching his broken wing. He had wanted to help out but after seeing Sebastian accidentally break Iago's wing, he put off the idea. But then Triton's eyes landed on a large form armed with a sharp-stick emerge from a certain patch of ferns and sneak in Sebastian, Stella and Luna's direction.

"Let's get out of here and return to help our friends," said Sebastian as lightning flashed overhead. However, before the three albino bats could leave, Stella and Luna froze and began to scan the surroundings warily. They felt like they were being watched. Sebastian saw his stiffened sisters as they slowly scanned the surroundings as though a predator was stalking them.

"What is it, you two?" asked he. Stella and Luna shot him a timid gaze but before they could speak, a large shadow cloaked the three bats. At this, Sebastian whirled round and found himself face to face with a bigger, well-muscled flying fox measuring over twice his size and weighing more than Sebastian, Stella and Luna combined. In his right wing, a large sharp-stick, its point as sharp as a jaguar fang, was clutched. Stella and Luna managed to stifle a scream while Sebastian gasped in horror. However, his wings spread out protectively across his sisters as the enormous bat towered over them and pierced them with a sneering stare.

"Your uncle Cicatriz has commanded me to deal with you three little runts," he crooned in a low voice, sending shivers down Sebastian, Stella and Luna's spines and with that, he raised his sharp-stick and prepared to stab the three bats. Seeing that they were helpless against this hulking mass of muscle, fur and membrane wings armed with a lethal weapon, Sebastian covered his head while Stella and Luna screamed and cowered against their older brother's sides. Then suddenly a navy blue form leaped out from behind a tree trunk and pounced onto the massive bat, screeching loudly, catching him by surprise and sending him tumbling away from the three young bats. At this, Sebastian, Stella and Luna looked up to see Triton begin to viciously fight the large bat. The hyacinth young macaw and flying fox then tumbled down a small rocky elevation and into some ferns where they began to viciously bite and claw one another. From a distance, Iago, clutching his broken wing, backed away from the brawl, not wanting to mess with a hyacinth macaw. However, he was unaware that a certain predator was watching him. A snake slithered towards the young bat from behind, its tongue flicking at the air and its cold gaze piercing the bat from behind…

"Triton," shouted Sebastian as he watched Triton slash the large bat across the face with his talons but as he attempted to rake his claws across the bat's face a second time, he felt an iron wing-grip on his talon. Stunned, he turned in time to see that the bat had grabbed onto his talon. Then without hesitation, the bat heaved Triton off of him and sent him careening towards Sebastian, Stella and Luna. The three albino bats, horrified looks on their faces, backed away as the hyacinth macaw crashed into the ground. Then as Triton struggled to his feet with Sebastian, Stella and Luna's help, the hulking flying fox rose to his feet and took up his sharp-stick. When he saw the three albino bats help the hyacinth macaw, he hissed in disgust.

"I should have known that you three were no different from your parents and would do anything to help those feathered disaster causers," snarled the bat as he advanced towards the quartet, his sharp-stick pointing at them, "Just like how your good-for-nothing maternal first cousin once removed had helped that flock of birds hide from our colony several years ago."

"You mean Lily?" asked Sebastian timidly. Triton then stood with his wings spread protectively across the three young bats, a scowl on his face. Nearby, some figures watched through the trees. The bat gazed evilly at Triton as he continued protecting Sebastian and his sisters.

"And what disgusts me and Cicatriz more than anything else is that YOU have become friends with some of these feathered worms like this one," snarled the bat to the three albino bats behind Triton. Triton hardened his scowl.

"I'm just returning the favour," he said boldly, much to the bat's shock. "After all, these three and their parents had helped us so much through these past two weeks or so and now I am doing our bit in protecting these three from YOU!"

Sebastian, Stella and Luna could not help but admire Triton's boldness. Then memories of how Lily had returned the favour to the birds after some of them had rescued her from a smuggler's trap came to their minds. The bat began to tremble with rage.

"ENOUGH TALK!" he snarled and with that, he raised a wing and slapped Triton hard across the face, knocking him away. Triton careened to one side and crashed onto the floor, stunned.

"TRITON!" cried Sebastian, Stella and Luna together but then they found themselves at the mercy of the evil bat as he cornered them against a tree trunk, now that the barrier formed by their hyacinth friend was out of the way.

"NOW it's time to complete the task," snarled he and with that, he raised his sharp-stick and prepared to skewer the adolescent and his sisters but before he could do that, he felt a searing pain erupt from his back, making him screech. Triton had returned and had raked his claws down the bat's back to rescue Sebastian, Stella and Luna. However, the bat, fuelled by extreme rage, whirled round and before Triton could act, he jumped up and slashed his foot claws right across the left side of the hyacinth macaw's face, sending blood flying into the air, accompanied by a hyacinth macaw's screech of agony and cries of extreme horror from three young albino flying foxes.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43- a wild chase and final showdown through the stormy jungle**

Lightning flashed terrifyingly in the sky, appearing to rip the dark slate-grey canvas apart. From the grey clouds, torrential rain continued to pour and pelt the rainforest while winds gusted through the trees and making them waver. Animals desperately tried to keep out of the deluge by sheltering in either hollows, in the vegetation or under rocks but through one part of the stormy jungle, a wild chase was going on.

Cicatriz and his minions continued rocketing through the stormy air, the rain battering them and the winds threatening to send them veering from their flight path. However, these bats, especially Cicatriz, were too flooded with pure insanity to even care. Trailing behind three of the bats, a bound Carla, Bia and Tiago, their wings, feet and beaks tightly bound by vines, struggled to free themselves. Giving chase were several more Spix macaws and another flying fox. Jewel, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Roberto, Eduardo, Mimi, Venus, Zephyr, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Kira and Augustus, fought against the downpour and winds in an attempt to catch up with Cicatriz and his minions and rescue Carla, Bia and Tiago. The chasers and the chased swerved this way and that to avoid crashing into branches, rain battering their fur or feathers and winds threatening to send them off course, but they still fight on. Lightning flashed violently in the sky, cracking the air as through shattering it like glass and lighting up the dark and rainy jungle in a series of split-second blinks and also Cicatriz and Jewel's group as they charged through the jungle.

Cicatriz's mind was completely warped and consumed by the fires of pure insanity. Before the chase, his mind had been calculated and calm but now, with Carla, Bia and Tiago in his clutches, his mind was thrown into utter chaos with the obsession of killing those three Spix macaws and the rage of his plans getting foiled having taken complete control. There was no calmness in Cicatriz anymore. All self-control was completely gone, burned to ashes by the fires of insanity and Cicatriz was flying like a maniac through the stormy jungle with his minions. Behind him and his minions, the Spix macaws and Augustus continued their wild chase, Jewel beginning to spew out the most acidic and vitriolic threats she had ever concocted since her confrontation with Nigel.

"WHEN I GET HOLD OF YOU, YOU SAVAGE FURBALLS," she snarled at the top of her lungs, "I'M GONNA SKIN YA ALIVE, I'M GONNA…"

Then as the flow of highly corrosive acid began to spew from her mouth, Kira, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Jojo, Felix and Lavender flinched and winced at every acidic word that emerged from Jewel's mouth and even Zephyr and Roberto were horrified by the choice of words Jewel had. However, they continued their chase of Cicatriz and his group. Then Eduardo charged towards the group, his eyes blazing green infernos and an enraged screech exploding from his mouth.

"YOU'RE NOT GONNA SLAUGHTER MY GRANDCHILDREN, YOU FILTHY…" he bellowed and called Cicatriz the worst possible word he could think off. Mimi also screeched every foul name and threat under the sun at Cicatriz, much to the utter shock and flabbergast of Venus. Mimi would spew such caustic words like that but because her two great-nieces and great-nephew were in the clutches of the deranged Cicatriz and his minions, intent on killing them, it was no surprise. Then Zephyr began to screech out his own threats.

"I'M TELLIN' YOU NOW, you DEMENTED FURBALL," he snarled at Cicatriz, "IF you EVER HARM a SINGLE FEATHER on ANY of those three birds' heads, WE WILL FLAY YOU!"

Roberto and Brisa, as well as Kira, Justin and Jojo and their siblings, also screeched out the same things. Venus also began to screech at the top of her lungs.

"GIVE BACK THOSE THREE SPIX MACAWS, CICATRIZ!" she bellowed. Augustus examined his demented and deranged brother's responses to the Spix macaws' threats while dodging any obstacle, such as branches, that came his way. However, to his utter dismay, Cicatriz ignored the birds' shouts and threats and nonchalantly continued flying with his minions, Carla, Bia and Tiago, desperate eyes gazing at the chasers and pleading them to help them. Then Augustus tried his luck.

"Cicatriz, PLEASE!" he cried as loud as he could so that his voice could pierce the sounds of rain, thunder and howling winds and reach Cicatriz's ears, "SNAP OUT OF IT AND RELEASE THOSE THREE SPIX MACAWS!"

As Augustus's words reached his ears, Cicatriz nodded to one of the bats not carrying one of the three captive Spix macaws to deal with the chasers. The bat obeyed and broke away from the group, made a beeline for a nearby flexible branch and bent it back. Augustus saw what the bat was about to do.

"LOOK OUT!" he cried. At this, Jewel and the others abruptly braked when they saw the bat release the branch. The branch snapped back to its original position, striking Mimi in the face. The plump Spix macaw cried in shocked pain and clumsily retreated to another nearby branch, crashing onto it. The others' gazes turned her way.

"AUNT MIMI!" cried Jewel as she and the others came around her. Mimi shot her niece a glare.

"Go after that deranged slime-ball, my wildflower," she commanded, "Your two daughters and son need you. Don't worry about us."

"Let's get you back to our ravine," said Eduardo. Jewel, at this, hesitated but at Augustus's insistence and also a commanding glare from Eduardo, she resumed the chase, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Venus, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Roberto, Brisa and Augustus following. Eduardo then began to help his older sister who held her forehead where she was struck, back to the ravine.

Within moments, the stormy chase was back on track, the remaining chasers back on Cicatriz and his minions' tail with heated vengeance. Carla, Bia and Tiago continued emitting frightened whimpers as they continued to be dragged through the air by three of the bats who carried them along with a piece of vine held in their foot claws but with their beaks so tightly gagged, they could not scream for help. Cicatriz and his minions soon entered a cluttered maze of crisscrossing branches and vines and began to fly through it, deftly weaving in and out of the web. The Spix macaws and Augustus followed but Venus slowed to a hover.

"Some of us are not very good at flying through a clutter of webs like that," she said.

"There's no way we're gonna pursue those deranged psychos through _that_ ," said Kira. At this, Jewel commanded the group to split.

"You guys fly around it while we chase after those bats through that web," she shouted.

"Try to intercept those bats on the other side," said Augustus. With that, Venus, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil and Kira, Jojo, Felix and Lavender waved to Jewel, Roberto, Zephyr, Brisa and Augustus and took the detour around the vines while the latter group charged through the web straight after Cicatriz and his minions for they were used to flying through a cluttered environment. As they flew around the massive cluster of crisscrossing vines and branches, Venus accelerated and led her group. Her amber gaze caught sighted the flashes of blue from Carla, Bia and Tiago's feathers through the strands of brown and green, swinging from side to side as Cicatriz and his minions dodged every strand in their way.

"COME ON!" she called to Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Kira, Jojo, Felix and Lavender and with that, the group accelerated on. Kira shot the bats a fiery glare.

"When I get hold of those bats, I'm gonna rip their fur out for terrorising my cousins," she snarled.

"So will we," snarled Justin, "Especially if they do ANYTHING to our mates!"

Matilda and Virgil also shouted in agreement. This was met by a surprised flash from Venus. _Mates!?_ However, she snapped out of this surprise and continued her chase of Cicatriz and his minions around the clutter. Soon Venus's group had overtaken Cicatriz and were approaching the other side.

"Right, guys; prepare to attack," shouted Venus and with that, the group obeyed. Back in the clutter, Cicatriz and his minions continued weaving in and out of the vines and branches, trying to shake off Jewel, Roberto, Brisa, Zephyr and Augustus as they also deftly dodged the obstacles, flying through every wide-enough gap they could find. Roberto also used his beak to bite through some of the vines to widen some of the gaps for himself and the others. Carla, Bia and Tiago continued to swing this way and that as their holders dodged the branches and vines, bumping into branches on the go. Cicatriz then flashed an evil, devilish glance at Jewel and the other four and cackled.

"I'm afraid you won't be getting these three back, you useless (bleep)s!" he cackled in an unreal voice, "I'm gonna kill them in the MOST AGONISING WAY!"

With an enraged screech, Jewel rocketed forward at Cicatriz, her teal eyes erupting unspeakable wrath. Augustus then saw some flashes of blue on one side of the clutter as Venus's group overtook Cicatriz and his minions.

"Continue to chase after Cicatriz and his group, folks," he shouted to the other four. Jewel, Roberto, Zephyr and Brisa did so. Meanwhile, Venus and her group had managed to reach the other end of the vine and branch clutter. Venus watched Cicatriz and his group as they neared the exit.

"Okay, folks," she commanded Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Kira, Jojo, Felix and Lavender as they took up their positions, "Ready?"

And then as soon as Cicatriz and his minions exploded from the exit of the vine and branch cluster, Venus screeched "NOW!"

Then before Cicatriz and his minions knew it, they were set upon by a small group of nine angry Spix macaws. Venus went straight for Cicatriz and jumped right onto his back and proceeded to score her claws down it, making Cicatriz scream and writhe in agony. Around him, the other eight mercilessly attacked the minions, scratching and biting them in an attempt to get them to drop Carla, Bia and Tiago. However, the bats fought back full force. Then Jewel, Zephyr, Brisa, Roberto and Augustus exploded from the vine and branch cluster.

"GOOD WORK, VENUS!" cried Jewel. Zephyr then charged at Cicatriz to help Venus bite and claw him. However, the deranged colony patriarch, consumed by unspeakable rage, fought back.

"GET OFF ME YOU USELESS SPIX WORM!" he bellowed and with that, he began to jolt and writhe in an attempt to shake Venus off his back but Venus held on, while Zephyr attempted to lash his claws at the bat. Nearby, Brisa, Roberto, Jewel and Augustus had joined Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Kira, Jojo, Felix and Lavender in the fray with the other bats. Jewel went straight for those holding Carla, Bia and Tiago and began to viciously attack them, along with Kira, Justin, Matilda and Virgil. However, one of the other flying foxes, after managing to fight off Jojo, Felix and Lavender, flew to Carla and her siblings' capturers' defence and struck each macaw down with a powerful wing-slap while two other bats rushed in and tackled the group away. She headbutted Jewel square in the face, wing-slapped Justin and Matilda, clawed Kira across the belly and bit into Virgil's foot. The other bats also overpowered Roberto, Augustus and Brisa and knocked them away as well, while Cicatriz managed to bolt Venus into the air. With an enraged screech, Cicatriz proceeded to bite Venus on the wing to feature it. Zephyr saw what was about to happen.

"Venus, MOOOOVE!" he screeched and with that, he charged in and tackled right into his mate, barrelling her out of the way of the hyper-deranged bat, making him miss and bite into thin air seconds where Venus's left wing had been. Venus and Zephyr then regained their balance by flying again, Zephyr trembling with relief. After realising that he had missed Venus, Cicatriz called together his minions with a screech and they made their escape into the stormy jungle, Carla, Bia and Tiago, still bound and gagged, in tow. The three Spix macaws emitted helpless whimpers as they were hauled away. As the group recovered, Augustus helped the Spix macaws to regain their bearings after that skirmish when his eyes landed on Kira as she grasped her stomach, her face twisted in agony. A red patch had formed on her cerulean wing feathers.

"You'd better get her back to the ravine as well," said Augustus, "We'd better continue the chase."

"We'll see to that," said Roberto and with that, he nodded to Brisa, Jojo, Felix and Lavender who proceeded to pick up Kira and take her away while the rest of them resumed the chase.

"Be careful," said Brisa as she watched them leave after Cicatriz and his minions.

Cicatriz and his bats continued rocketing through the rain and wind, lightning flashing in the sky above. However, due to Venus's savage attack on his back, Cicatriz's flight was somewhat hindered and he was bleeding from the set of new scratches on his back. Flashing a glance at his wounded back, Cicatriz hissed. Then suddenly, several blurs of colour charged in at them. A large vermillion comet smashed into the bats carrying Carla, Bia and Tiago while three more blurs, a reddish and metallic blue one, a slate grey and ivory one and a black and orange one, tackled right into the another bats, sending them flying everywhere. Cicatriz emitted a screech of surprise when he saw his minions clumsily regain their balance before noticing that the bats that had the three bound Spix macaws were missing their cargo. At this, he snapped his bitter gaze this way and that until his eyes landed on some forms as they made off with Carla, Bia and Tiago. With an enraged screech of wrath, Cicatriz and his minions began to give chase. Jupiter, together with Rafael, Velocity and Andromeda on her bat-bird Rouge, had come to the rescue and were now in possession of Carla, Bia and Tiago. Velocity used her hooked beak to cut through the vines binding the Spix macaws' beaks shut while she, Jupiter and Rafael carried them. However, she did not have time to cut away the vines binding their wings and feet. As her beak became free to move once the vines were off, Carla, carried by Jupiter, began to speak.

"Oh, glad to have those horrid vines removed from our beaks," she said in a shaken voice. Bia also shuddered in Rafael's talons while Tiago shuddered in Velocity's talons.

"I thought you guys were back in the ravine," said Bia.

"No, we've come to your rescue," said Velocity.

"Let's get outa here before those horrid bats attack us," said Rafael. No sooner than these words had escaped their beaks, when suddenly, a piercing wrathful screech sounded right behind them. Velocity emitted a piercing screech of terror as she saw Cicatriz and his minions as they rocketed towards them, their eyes ablaze with unspeakable fury. Now it was Jupiter, Andromeda and Rouge, Rafael and Velocity's turn to flee and they began to fly at high speed with Cicatriz and his minions in hot pursuit, screeching angrily. Just then, Jewel, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Augustus, Zephyr and Venus turned up and when they saw who had joined in the chaos, they drew in shocked gasps. Then Jupiter's group rocketed towards the group.

"FLY FOR IT!" cried Rafael as he held Bia firmly in his talons. Augustus and the remaining Spix macaws obeyed and charged the moment Jupiter's group joined them. Then another wild chase, this time with the roles reversed, started up with Cicatriz and his minions utterly consumed by insanity, chasing the chasers. Lightning flashed violently in the sky while winds gusted, making the tree branches waver. Rain continued pelting the rainforest. As the group began to try and out-fly Cicatriz and his minions, Cicatriz screeched like an eagle, making Andromeda shriek in horror and prompting Rouge to fly faster.

"HE'S HONESTLY WORSE THAN ANY PREDATORY BAT-BIRD WE HAD EVER COME ACROSS," shouted the horrified archaeobird at Cicatriz's feral behaviour.

"Even worse than Brutus as well," said Venus.

"And Nigel," added Justin. It was true. Cicatriz was indeed worse than any villain some of the group had dealt with before these events. He was practically more violent than the late Brutus the cat, more violent than Nigel the cockatoo, and the heat of the pure hatred boiling within him could easily be felt by the birds and Augustus. Moments later, the group was flying over the Amazon River which was raging and churning with the heavy rains, the waters choppy. Out here, the flyers were exposed to the elements. Winds also gusted across the surface, threatening to overturn some of the flyers and send them plummeting into the churning waters below. Jupiter then began to fly just above the choppy waters with Carla held firmly in his talons for Cicatriz was hot on his tail while the others tried to out-fly the deranged bat's minions.

"He's DEFINITELY the WORST enemy we had EVER HAD TO FACE," shouted Jupiter as Cicatriz screeched like a flying fox possessed, gnashing his teeth at the scarlet macaw's tail feathers, "He is DEFINITELY ten times more violent than Brutus and Nigel COMBINED! Venus and Justin aren't kidding! WHOA!"

He panicked briefly as a gust of wind sent him into a brief barrel roll.

"JUPITER!" cried Jewel as she dodged a lashing of foot claws from one of Cicatriz's minions. Jupiter managed to regain his balance and avoid falling into the choppy waters below him. He did not want to face another ordeal with rushing waters again, certainly not with one of Blu and Jewel's precious daughters in his talons. Cicatriz then fluttered above Jupiter and prepared to pounce onto him. Screeching loudly, he prepared to dive upon the scarlet macaw but then another gust of wind blew him off course, making him miss Jupiter by inches. Jupiter, the terrified Carla firmly in his talons, then rocketed on and made a beeline for the forest on the other side of the Amazon River. The winds also threw Cicatriz's minions away from Jewel, Augustus and the others but unlike Cicatriz, who had managed to regain his balance before hitting the water; these bats flopped right into the choppy waters where they were swept away by the powerful currents, and possibly to a watery grave for the waters were indeed choppy. Jewel and the others, with Carla, Bia and Tiago safely in their clutches, then entered the forest and out of the rain and winds. Their feathers and Augustus's fur and wing membranes, as well as Rouge's, were sodden with rainwater and soon, the group found flying more difficult. However, they wanted to get out of danger and away from Cicatriz.

"Let's find some shelter until the storm passes," said Augustus, "It's too rainy and windy to continue flying."

"Let's take shelter in there," said Velocity as she carried Tiago, a nod to a large tree with branches sheltered by large clusters of leaves. The others saw it and hurried towards it. As they touched down onto the sheltered branches and out of the rain, and after placing Carla, Bia and Tiago into it and freeing them from the rest of their binds, Rafael began to examine the stormy environment for any signs of evil flying foxes.

"I think we've lost that deranged bat," he said. However, a brown and black comet rushed in and tackled the toucan right in the side, knocking him away. The others screamed in horror.

"RAFAEL!" cried Jewel as the others looked on. Then Augustus recognised who had tackled Rafael but the moment he did, his blood turned into ice. Rafael then escaped the deranged bat's attempts to attack him and rushed back to the group. Then moments later, the group found themselves confronted by the demented flying fox that was Cicatriz.

All of Cicatriz's black and red war paint had washed off due to flying so much in the deluge, exposing his true appearance. His countless scars crisscrossed his fur and his right eye's greyness shone menacingly in the lightning as it flashed. His other eye, the only one he could see out of, burned with extreme bloodlust as it bore into his brother Augustus and the birds, striking immense fear into them. His mouth was stretched across his face, teeth bearing in a menacing grimace. The words that came out of that mouth were just as menacing and bloodthirsty as his grimace and his glare.

"Hah," Cicatriz cackled at the group, "Did you think you'd out-fly me, the colony patriarch?"

Augustus, at this, glared back at his brother with a bitter scowl. Jewel also poised herself to attack the bat. Cicatriz's piercing eye, as piercing as the gaze of a snake or jaguar, then travelled to Carla, Bia and Tiago who cringed. Then Cicatriz's piercing eye moved back to Augustus, pure malice replacing scorn.

"You really have CROSSED THE LINE, you no brother of mine," he snarled, "You're honestly no different from that wretched cousin of your mate, Lily…"

Augustus just continued to glare back at Cicatriz.

"This is honestly the FINAL leaf, Augustus," added Cicatriz in a more wrathful voice, "Not only have you betrayed us but you have also defected to the flying feathered disasters' side! Mom and Dad would have been utterly ASHAMED!"

Still Augustus said nothing while the birds continued looking on behind him. Then Cicatriz prepared to attack.

"Now, I'm gonna do WHAT I HAD DONE TO LILY SEVERAL YEARS AGO!" he bellowed, before turning his wrathful gaze at the birds, "And once I HAVE KILLED YOU, THOSE LITTLE FEATHERED FRIENDS OF YOURS WILL BE NEXT!"

But before Cicatriz could lash at Augustus to attack him, a cerulean blur rushed in and tackled him away. Cicatriz managed to regain control of his tumble before he crashed into another tree moments before he found himself confronted by a volcanic tempered Spix macaw.

"This has GONE FAR ENOUGH, CICATRIZ!" snarled Jewel, her claws flared like those of a cat poised to attack. Cicatriz glared daggers with the Spix macaw before seizing a sharp shard of wood in his foot claws, his brown eye burning with pure murderous desire.

"Well, in that case, I'll KILL YOU FIRST!" he snarled and with that he lunged at Jewel and tried to plunge the sharp piece of wood into her chest but Jewel grabbed hold of his foot claws and stopped it dead. Cicatriz hissed through a gritted mouth as he struggled against Jewel's resistance, the others looking on in horror.

"MOM!" cried Carla, Bia and Tiago together. Then Cicatriz overpowered Jewel and shoved her onto a branch, making her crash land onto it, before proceeding to hover over her, the shard in his feet prepared to stab her. Jewel backed away, alarmed by the armed and insane bat. Suddenly, an electric blue blur rushed in and tackled into Cicatriz's side despite protests from the others.

"Virgil, NO!" cried Zephyr as Virgil furiously knocked Cicatriz away from Jewel, the wood shard flying from his grasp. Carla, Bia and Tiago then rushed out to help Jewel to her feet. Suddenly, the group heard the sound of a hard slap of a membranous wing on something feathery, followed by the sound of a feathered body crashing onto a woody surface accompanied by a cry of pain. At this, Carla, Bia and Tiago and the others snapped their gazes from Jewel to Virgil to see that Cicatriz had knocked him onto another branch. Virgil's face was twisted in pain and he was holding his bruised shoulder for it had impacted the tree trunk first. Then Cicatriz turned and saw a large, thick hanging on a nearby branch. With a wicked grin, he reached out towards the stick. As he did this, near the group, some cloaked forms moved in and took cover in the shadows of another tree. Then the eyes of the cloaked figures began to watch the drama continue with Cicatriz and Jewel's group. Carla, Bia and Tiago, Justin, Charlotte and Matilda were about to rush towards Virgil but Cicatriz showed them the large stick and shoved a foot onto Virgil's throat to immobilise him, having changed his mind again on who to kill first and he threatened to blugeon Virgil to death with the large stick.

"Don't you DARE come another inch nearer, you feathered scum," snarled Cicatriz to the others as Virgil struggled under his foot, "Or this worm DIES!"

Virgil, an alarmed look on his face, shuddered, especially as Cicatriz as he held the stick in his wings, ready to beat him. Bia began to release horrified whimpers from her beak. Virgil then shot Bia a desperate gaze and began to hyperventilate.

"What is it, feathered slug?" crooned Cicatriz to Virgil, his foot still pressed hard onto his throat, "Something botherin' you?"

"P-p-p-please don't hurt him," cried an edgy female voice. At this, Cicatriz turned from Virgil to Bia, her gaze fixated on Virgil as he lay wedged under Cicatriz's foot. Carla, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Venus and Zephyr, together with Augustus, Velocity, Jupiter, Rafael and Andromeda, gazed at the situation. Andromeda especially shuddered at the stick Cicatriz held.

"Please, release him," cried Bia again, tears of desperation beginning to well in her eyes. Cicatriz continued switching his surprised gaze from Virgil to Bia, examining the strength of the desperate gaze between the two and when he saw that the two had a very strong bond based on this, a wicked smile stretched his mouth across his face.

"Ah, romance," he crooned, "Disgusting… soppy stuff when it's among feathered scum."

This comment made disgust tear through the group but Cicatriz swept on. "And yet, it comes at a _devastating_ price when that delicate bond is severed…"

Then Zephyr came forward, having had enough of the deranged bat's taunts.

"Please, release my son," he said, barely able to contain his temper. However, the only response he got was a mocking glare from Cicatriz. As he looked at Zephyr and Venus, and Justin, Charlotte and Matilda as they looked on desperately at Virgil with Bia, he added in a sickly sweet voice, "And it seems that he has a lovely little family as well. How sweet."

Virgil, Cicatriz's foot firmly on his neck, shot his family a desperate gaze but found himself gazing back into Cicatriz's single-eyed glare again.

"Tell me, cerulean feathered slug," crooned the bat, his evil smile dripping saliva and the stick held in his wing, poised to come down, "Are you ready to DIE A PAINFUL DEATH!?"

"You DARE bludgeon that macaw, you PSYCHOTIC FURBALL and I WILL HAVE MY BAT-BIRD MAUL YOU!" snarled a voice. At this, Cicatriz froze and turned round to see Andromeda on Rouge's back perched on another branch, her bat-bird Rouge poised to leap at the flying fox, her beak partially open to bear her teeth. Jewel then flew in and hovered with the others. Andromeda's blue eyes blazed with the fieriest wrath she had ever harboured and she was threatening Cicatriz into releasing Virgil. However, to everyone's surprise, Cicatriz was not fazed by the threat of having a bat-bird's teeth inflict injuries on him. With that, he smiled mockingly.

"I'm afraid your threat isn't gonna make a difference, four winged feather-worm," he crooned and with that, he turned round, raised his stick and with all his might, he brought down the heavy stick right onto Virgil's wing and shoulder, making him scream in agony, much to the horror of the group, especially Bia, Justin, Matilda, Charlotte, Zephyr and Venus. Cicatriz then removed the stick and then his foot from the macaw's throat and backed away, cackling evilly as he watched Virgil grasp his crushed shoulder and wing with his other, face twisted in pain.

"I sure love seein' birds in extreme pain, especially when one in a romantic pair dies," he crooned sadistically

From their hiding place, the cloaked group gasped in horror while Andromeda looked on, utterly flabbergasted. Immediately, she commanded Rouge to rush over to Virgil. Then Virgil was swallowed up by a cloud of colourful feathers including Andromeda's metallic plumage and Rouge's reddish wing membranes and 'fur' while Cicatriz looked on and continued cackling. Bia desperately placed her wings onto her mate's cheeks as the extreme pain from his shoulder sent panic coursing through his body.

"Virgil, c-c-calm down!" she begged. Augustus also came in.

"He needs treatment right away," he said urgently. Then Augustus turned round and glared daggers at his brother who smiled wickedly and continued to cackle as though the whole thing was funny. His cackles erupted into the air as lightning flashed again before turning to speak.

"What now, no brother of mine?" asked Cicatriz, "You're gonna attack me?"

Augustus already had that in mind. With an enraged screech, the flying fox charged at Cicatriz and crashed into him. The two then tumbled onto a branch and down it, a whirlwind of brown fur and black membrane wings, screeches erupting from it. Jewel left to join in the fight, her fiery fury having consumed her once again. While Augustus and Jewel fought Cicatriz, Zephyr, Venus, Justin, Matilda, Charlotte, Carla, Bia, Tiago, and Andromeda with Rouge, Rafael, Velocity and Jupiter gathered around Virgil as his panic caused by the pain erupting from his crushed shoulder and wing continued to escalate. Bia cried his name, tears of terror spilling down her cheeks as Andromeda helped the terrified macaw to his feet, being careful not to injure his crushed shoulder further.

"We need to get him to the hospital RIGHT AWAY!" said Jupiter. Suddenly, a voice sounded.

"Leave that to us," it said. At this, the group turned round and saw a few leaf-cloaked figures rush in towards Virgil. One of them, an apparent scarlet macaw, went straight to Virgil and picked him up carefully. Two more cloaked figures carried a leaf hammock and Virgil was carefully placed into it.

"You'll have to lead us to this hospital," said the macaw, "For we don't know where it is."

"Some of us will have to do that," said Jupiter, before flashing a glance at the brawling Augustus and Jewel and Cicatriz, "While we deal some unfinished business over there."

Then without wasting another second, the scarlet-like macaw squawked to the other cloaked figures and within moments, the group had charged off into the rainy jungle, Virgil in tow. Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Venus, Zephyr, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Rafael and Velocity followed while Jupiter and Andromeda turned to help Augustus and Jewel deal with Cicatriz.

Augustus shoved Cicatriz against a tree trunk, lightning flashing violently in the sky. As Cicatriz slumped down, he glared back at his brother fierily.

"You know something, I wonder why Mom and Dad never dealt with you in the first place," he snarled, "They thought that you'd grow up to become an awesome warrior and bird hunter, that you'd be an effective brother to me, which was why they raised you along with me," he dodged a claw attack from Augustus, "but it turns out they were UTTERLY WRONG!"

Cicatriz leaped aside as Jewel rushed in and attempted to slash his face with her claws, screeching loudly only to miss. Cicatriz then flew away just as Jupiter, Rouge and Andromeda turned up. Augustus and Jewel proceeded to follow, the other three behind them. Cicatriz continued flying towards another tree, battling the wind and the rain that smothered the gap until he touched down onto a branch before turning to face his challengers. Augustus touched down before Cicatriz with Jewel, Andromeda, Rouge and Jupiter flanking him.

"Speaking of me becoming an awesome bird killer," snarled Augustus as he advanced towards Cicatriz, "It would have been a possibility," he felt disgust tear through him, "But the very thought of me killing innocent birds and harvesting their feathers for trophies makes me sick TO MY STOMACH!"

Cicatriz lurched towards him, jumped up and attempted to slash Augustus across the face with his foot claws but Augustus ducked, making him miss. Then Augustus tackled into Cicatriz and knocked him away, lightning flashing in the sky. Cicatriz stumbled backwards onto the branch but before he could get up, Jewel was upon him, her teal eyes ablaze with wrath.

"Cop THIS, YOU FILTHY FURBALL!" she snarled and with that, she scored her claws across Cicatriz's chest, sending some of his blood splattering onto the tree trunk and making Cicatriz screech in pain. Then before Jewel could inflict another injury, Cicatriz managed to lift his upper body and clamp his teeth into Jewel's wing flight feathers. Taken by surprise, Jewel's rage turned to horror as she found herself struggling to free her left wing from Cicatriz's jaws and began flapping madly. Then Cicatriz jumped up, yanked on Jewel's wing and wrestled her to the branch until he was on her back. Then Cicatriz proceeded to tear some of Jewel's head feathers out of her head to inflict her with some agonising pain but before he could do that, Andromeda and Rouge charged in and tackled him off of Jewel. Cicatriz was thrown across the tree until he landed on another branch and near something else. Jupiter and Augustus examined the construct and realised that it was a large mass of twisted twigs constructed in a disc shape with elevated edges. Dread coming over him, Jupiter fluttered up to get a better view of the interior of the mass but the moment his eyes landed on its contents, especially two live lumps of downy feathers, chills coursed down his spine and nerves. He had seen contents in something like this before and it belonged to a certain predator of the Amazon, a predator feared by almost every bird, flying fox and other animal in the rainforest.

Jewel, Rouge and Andromeda then proceeded to continue their relentless attack on the bat but then Jupiter rushed in front of them and blocked them with his wings spread out, much to their shock.

"Don't charge him," he cried, "We're right near a…"

Jewel opened her beak to protest when Cicatriz's mocking voice cut her off.

"Right near a what, scarlet scum?" crooned the insane bat, "Another home of a useless bundle of feathers?"

Jupiter, along with Augustus turned round and glared at Cicatriz. Jewel, Andromeda and Rouge peered round them. It was then that the sound of flapping of two pairs of enormous wing reached the ears of the group. However, these wings were not made from membranous wings but feathers. Augustus and Jupiter's eyes landed on two large shadowy figures as they approached the mass of twigs and widened their eyes and dropped their jaws in horror. Andromeda and Jewel did the same while Rouge released frightened squeaks and hid behind her rider as lightning flashed in the sky. As the five backed away under a cluster of leaves upon seeing something, Cicatriz looked on in curiosity. Then he found himself cloaked in shadow as a thud sounded behind him as the thing landed. Next, he felt heavy breathing channel air down his head and back. However, he did not stiffen much to the surprise of Augustus, Andromeda, Jewel and Jupiter and they watched the deranged bat, his chest bleeding from Jewel's attack on him earlier, as his face morphed into a wicked smile, the thing which measured almost twice his size, standing behind him. Then some cute, squeaky noises reached Cicatriz's ears as the thing behind him chirruped. Cicatriz then boldly turned round until his left eye landed on the enormous thing as it continued breathing and squeaking at him.

The thing indeed had feathers, and those feathers were slate grey, like those of Velocity and her family's back feathers. A large plume emanated from behind the creature's head and opposite the plume, was a pair of bulbous eyes resembling large gemstones. However, those gemstones were not at all pretty to look at for the glare from them always struck fear into anyone gazing right back into them. Below the pair of gemstones a large, basalt black beak protruded, ending in a sharp hook, glistening in the lighting like a sharp human object. Its underbelly was ivory to white and below the underbelly, Jupiter got a glimpse of two fishhooks attached to a yellow foot. However, the creature was not alone. Another creature like it but smaller was further back in the construct. The features brought recognition into the heads of Augustus, Jupiter, Andromeda and Jewel and they shuddered. Jupiter remembered how Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, along with Carla and some others had encounter a pair of these during their trip to Guyana and Andromeda and Rouge had had a narrow escape from one of these creatures during a foraging trip with some other archaeobirds a few weeks ago. Augustus had also seen a pair of these creatures nesting during an outing with his family once before as well and remembered that Iracebeth had combated one of these creatures singlehandedly and successfully slain it. However, Cicatriz was not at all afraid of the feathered monster that towered over him: big mistake.

"Well, what do we have here?" asked Cicatriz mockingly as the monster continued chirruping, its piercing gemstones piercing him like a jaguar's gaze. However, he was so consumed by his overconfidence that he was blind to the danger about to unfold and Augustus and the other four could see that.

"Another pile of worthless feathers, eh?" continued Cicatriz as he continued taunting the creature. Augustus then tried to intervene.

"Cicatriz," he said but Cicatriz didn't listen and continued taunting the animal.

"You know my mate has successfully taken one of you rotten overgrown feathered worms down before," he crooned as the creature's hooked beak hovered dangerously close to his face.

"Cicatriz," called Augustus, "Get away from that massive bird of prey."

Still Cicatriz ignored his brother and continued taunting the creature.

"And since my mate has killed one of you before," he said, pushing it now, "I am gonna take you down with my bare wings!"

After this sentence had left his mouth entirely, the creature opened its beak and Cicatriz got a face full of an extremely loud, ear-slicing scream. It was so loud that Augustus, Andromeda, Jupiter and Jewel were forced to cover their ears. This scream had a negative effect on Cicatriz and in an instant, his confidence flashed to extreme terror. Letting loose a terrified cry, Cicatriz tried to run away from the large creature but its mate opened its enormous wings and took off. It then flew around as Cicatriz dropped from the branch and into the air. Jupiter went to save him but Jewel, aware of the danger, hooked her wings onto his shoulders and stopped him while Augustus blocked his way as the creature swooped upon Cicatriz and trapped him in its enormous talons.

The five then watched on in horror as the male harpy eagle returned to the nest and landed in it, the female standing by two chicks, the bundles of feathers Jupiter had seen earlier along with the contents of the nest consisting of downy feathers and the bones belonging to various prey the harpy eagle family had previously eaten. Augustus, Jupiter, Jewel, Andromeda and Rouge then watched as the harpy eagle couple prepared to do what they knew did next. They could clearly hear the terrorised cries of Cicatriz erupting from the nest but they could not see him. In the nest, Cicatriz writhed under the harpy eagle's talon and continued to scream and cry in terror as he watched the male harpy eagle glare at him with its gemstone-like eyes that were ablaze with hunger. He tried to struggle from under the eagle's grasp but the eagle refused to budge its talon from Cicatriz's body. Nearby, the other harpy eagle, the female and the two chicks stood by, waiting for their meal, the chicks' gazes fixed on Cicatriz, hungry chirps emanating from their tiny beaks. From their hiding place, Augustus, Andromeda, Rouge, Jupiter and Jewel watched as the male harpy eagle then lowered his head towards the unseen Cicatriz as lightning flashed violently in the sky, lighting up the terrifying scene. They knew what was coming next.

"Look away!" cried Augustus and with that, the five covered their eyes and turned away from the imminent gruesome action. Cicatriz's terrified screams continued to erupt from the harpy eagles' nest but then those screams turned from terror to screams of excruciating pain as the male harpy eagle began its gruesome work…


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44- the aftermath part one**

The rain continued to pour torrentially while the winds gusted through the trees, making the branches waver and sending leaves flying. The skies overhead were a dark grey mass of storm clouds as they continued releasing their rainy contents onto the forest below. In one part of the jungle, a rush was going on. A group of cloaked figures, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Venus, Zephyr, Carla, Bia and Tiago, Rafael and Velocity were zooming through the canopy trying to keep out of the rain as much as possible for rain easily soaked the feathers of non-water birds and hindered their ability to fly. In the talons of one of the cloaked figures, a scarlet-like macaw, Virgil was still in a state of panic, his crushed shoulder and wing screaming in agony all the time and sending his body into a state of panic. The others around him, especially his family and Bia, who was sobbing and crying in anguish for her mate, feared for the worst. If the stick had struck an area where a minor blood vessel ran, Virgil's life would be in grave danger. As the group rocketed on, Zephyr tried to help Virgil to calm down and distract him from the agony of his injured wing and shoulder while Venus led the way to the hospital.

"Calm down, son," he said, "Focus on me."

Virgil, who lay in a leaf hammock carried by two of the cloaked figures tried to obey his father's commands but found it hard for his shoulder was constantly screaming in agony. Behind Zephyr, Justin, Matilda and Charlotte, Carla, Bia and Tiago followed with a number of other cloaked figures. Then Matilda saw something odd about one of the cloaked figures. When she checked that figure's face, to her surprise, the figure's face was furred and resembled that of a husky. The figure, whose fur colour was brown, in response to Matilda's surprise, turned to her to explain.

"Before you ask, little blue macaw," he said, "I am a flying fox but I'm not one of those awful members of the colony."

Matilda blinked in surprise until another bird, a bizarre parrot-like creature with purple feathers, explained to her.

"He's one of the flying foxes who had helped keep us safe from the savage colony," she said, "Along with two more flying foxes that were Lily's friends, Marcus and Ana."

"So it's true that there ARE other flying foxes besides Augustus and his family who cared for us birds?" asked Matilda. The purple parrot nodded.

"And I'm one of them," said the flying fox before his eyes turned to Virgil as he continued to panic in the scarlet-like macaw's talons, Zephyr desperately trying to calm him. "Anyway, let's get that blue macaw to the hospital. We don't have much time."

Matilda nodded and continued flying at a high speed with the others. As the group flew on, the sound of distant cheering of a flock of birds reached their ears, indicating that the bird fighters had won the main battle.

"Sounds like the fighters on the main battlefield have finally won the war against the colony bats," said Rafael joyfully.

"I can hear that," said Velocity, "Let's hope the same for the Spix tribe's ravine."

"That's excellent news," said the flying fox, "Those colony flying foxes were HORRIBLE, they were. Glad Melissa and that scarlet macaw called us to help out otherwise you birds wouldn't have stood a chance during the big fight."

Zephyr flashed the bird-allied bat a grateful glance but then something came into Velocity's mind.

"Oh my," she said, "That reminds me. Something _dreadful_ has happened to…"

And with that, she charged off in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine, breaking away from the group.

"Velocity?" asked Carla curiously. Rafael, Carla and Tiago decided to follow her.

"You lot continue and get Virgil to the hospital," called Rafael as they left, "We'll see you back in the ravine."

And with that, the toucan and two Spix macaws tore after the peregrine falcon, leaving Zephyr's group to continue in the direction of the animal hospital. Bia flashed Charlotte and Justin a dreaded glance.

"I hope it's not too serious," she murmured.

 **Later**

Augustus, Andromeda and Rouge, Jupiter and Jewel also flew through the canopy in the direction of the Spix tribe's ravine. They had managed to slip away from the harpy eagle's nest while the parents of the two chicks continued to butcher Cicatriz and had accelerated away, wanting to get away from the harpy eagle's nest as quickly as possible. Then as soon as they were at a safe distance from the nest, the quintet slowed down. However, they still flew at a quick pace, sticking to the canopy to avoid the rain. The five were going over the events in their heads and though they were relieved that the deranged flying fox colony patriarch had met his end, the quintet knew that there was going to be a lot of mess in the aftermath to clean up.

Much later, as the outskirts of Jewel's tribe's ravine melted out of the murky rains, Jupiter picked out three forms coming to meet them, one of which was Melissa, Augustus's mate but her face was a look of alarm. At this, Jupiter said to the others, "Has something happened?"

Melissa and the other two forms, two Spix macaws, one of them being Maximillian, Turquesa's father, stopped before the five, Melissa sharing a brief reunion hug with Augustus.

"Oh, I'm glad you're alright," she said after breaking the hug with her mate, before gazing at Jupiter, Andromeda, Rouge and Jewel. "Did you manage to deal with Cicatriz?"

"He was eaten alive by a family of harpy eagles," said Jupiter, "We happened to stray too close to their nest and Cicatriz was caught by one of them. However, he had brutally injured Virgil with a heavy stick before that."

At this, alarm tore through Melissa and the two Spix macaws but Jewel went on to explain, "But your cloaked friends came in and are now helping his family get him to the hospital as soon as possible. As for Cicatriz, he was not as fortunate when those harpy eagles came."

She felt a bubble of smugness rise within her as she said this. Then Augustus looked away, "He didn't stand a chance against those predatory birds at all," he then gazed back at Melissa, Maximillian and the other Spix macaw, knowing that they had something important to tell the group. "Anyway, based on the alarmed looks on your faces, I believe you have something urgent to tell us?"

Melissa confirmed it with a sombre look on her face and a nod. Then Maximillian came forward.

"We have managed to drive away the rest of the flying foxes," he said, much to the gladness of Augustus's group, but then that gladness fizzled out when Maximillian's face fell. "But I'm afraid we've suffered some serious casualties as the battle became more violent during its closing minutes."

 **In the ravine**

The air above the ravine pool was now calmer save for the gusting winds and pouring rain. Lightning continued to flash in the dark skies above and the ravine pool's surface rippled with the winds, the lilypads surfing gently on them. The birds, after they had managed to drive away the remaining flying foxes, had retreated into the waterfall cave to wait out the rest of the storm and, for the battlers, to allow their soaked feathers to dry. Older birds talked while young chicks rested with their parents or other carers. The battlers that had suffered minor wounds were also being treated by some of the birds skilled in medicine and wound treating while some other birds helped to distribute food from the food stocks to the evacuees thorough the cave. Only a few fruit had been used as weapons against the bats so there was plenty left, along with nuts and other plant material, for everyone and while everyone was joyful that the war had been won, some were enveloped in a big black cloud of sadness as gloomy as the clouds covering the sky outside. In one area of the waterfall cave, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto lay or sat with Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle, Byron and Sheldon. Next to them, their parents and younger siblings, among them Mars, Chiquitita, Gabrielle, and Amalthea and Oliver, sat asleep or comforting each other and their offspring in the makeshift beds of moss and feathers. Chiquitita was feeding Gabrielle a guava while Mars looked after Amalthea and Oliver, the younger daughter and son of Jupiter and Ruby. Next to them, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan the Lear's macaws, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio and Fernanda the blue-throated macaws, Mimas, Enceladus with Trixie, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, Iapetus, Brooke, Porthos and Bastian the blue-and-gold macaws and Mariposa, Kiawe, Rhiannon, Alessandro, Citrine and Caspian and Diantha lay either asleep or grieving. With them were Stella, Luna and Sebastian who also wore extremely sombre faces. Not too far away, Kira lay on her side, her scratched belly treated with moss by Tyler and Aurora while Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia, along with Tyler's brother Ricardo and the group's other Spix friends Turquesa, Músculo and Garrett rested near Eduardo and Mimi. Velocity, Lightning, Orion, Cometa and Carla and Tiago also lay in nests near Roberto's family and company, saddened looks on their faces. Beside the peregrine falcon family was a pile of meat, foraged for them by some archaeobirds for they were meat eating birds. However, Velocity and Orion had not eaten any proper meat for several days, the meat from capybaras, tapirs and sometimes reptiles being the most common food they had to hunt and were looking forward to hunting some proper prey, specifically smaller bird species such as sparrows and pigeons but not any of the birds that lived on the Sanctuary de Amazon. Furthermore, they were not built to live in a tropical rainforest and also looked forward to returning to Rio with their parents once the storm subsided.

As the group continued to rest, Kiawe saw some forms enter the waterfall cave on the right side. At this, he alerted the others.

"Hey," he called in a low voice, stirring those who were dozing and attracting the already-awake individuals' attention, "Jewel, Jupiter, Augustus and Andromeda are back."

At this, the group, along with Eragon, Spyro, Bellerophon and Pandora and also Nico, Pedro, Rose and Sparkle and Eva who had been helping to feed some of the chicks with the stocked fruit, looked up and saw five shapes, one a cerulean macaw, another a scarlet macaw, a third a brown flying fox and the fourth and fifth a reddish bat-bird and her metallic blue archaeobird rider, fly over to the group and touch down. Behind them, Melissa, Maximillian and the other Spix macaw followed.

"Aunt Jewel, Uncle Jupiter," cried Io and the others part of Jupiter's extended family together. With that, they went over to them, along with Mars, Chiquitita, and also Saturn who had been looking after Hyperion and Gordon while helping the other blue-and-gold macaws. Luke and Linda also shared a reunion hug with Jewel as well. As the group broke the hug, Jupiter noticed that some of the birds, including Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena, were missing.

"Where are Pluto, Neptune and Uranus's families along with Eustace and the other four cockatoos?" he asked. At this, the group's faces fell and Stella, Luna and Sebastian came over, tears falling from their faces.

"I'm afraid some of those birds had to be rushed to the animal hospital," said Sebastian on a strangled voice, "Especially Triton…"

He began to sniff and release sobs from his throat as a few more cloaked figures came over. One of them was another bird caring flying fox Melissa had noted to Jupiter and the others was named Marcus, one of her late cousin's friends. He wore a shaken look on his face for he had witnessed what had happened to Triton.

"It was carnage, honestly," he murmured. Nodding to Sebastian, Stella and Luna, who he recognised as Lily's relatives due to their albinism, the same trait Lily had, the white fur, grey-white membranous wings and the reddish eyes due to lack of pigment, and said, "While he was trying to protect these three, that hulking flying fox slashed him over the left side of his face with his foot claws, with bloody results. Thankfully we intervened and drove that bat away before he could do anymore damage to that hyacinth macaw."

"After that," said a strange macaw with a lime green head and blood red rings of skin surrounding her eyes like how the rings of yellow or yellow-orange skin enclosed the eyes of the hyacinth, glaucous and Lear's macaws but with a bit of the skin extending back to the ears and by the base of his beaks. He was of one of the macaw species supposed to have gone extinct in the Caribbean islands and was one of a few dozen of these birds from the cloaked group. "We rocketed off to the hospital under his father's guidance."

"And that's not all," Io said, "Ash was stabbed in the back by a bat with a sharp-stick while Eustace and Flor were brutally savaged by two more hulking bats…"

She trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes. Ganymede, Callisto and Europa put their wings around her to comfort her as she began to cry.

"Folks," said Augustus, "Who else is injured?"

Then Alexandre took over for Io for she was too upset to continue.

"Titania had suffered a broken wing while rescuing some Lear's macaw chicks one of the bats had managed to steal while Victor was brutally slashed over the chest and stomach while he protected Indigo," he said, "Like Triton; those five had been rushed to the hospital as well. I believe they are there now, being tended to but…" he looked away, "what happened to them…"

He began to weep as well, as did the others. Then Titan gazed at Stella, Luna and Sebastian, his wing around Brooke and tears spilling down his cheeks while Andromeda, Augustus, Jewel and Jupiter looked on, horrified at the news.

"Triton was so brave in defending those three young flying foxes," he said in an edgy voice, "But at a brutal price. I just hope he's alright in the hospital along with the other five…"

And with that, he broke down as well. The others also began to weep. Jupiter then felt it appropriate to leave them in peace. From a distance, Velocity looked on with tearful eyes filled with the words 'I'm sorry', despite it not being her fault. Jupiter sighed.

"When Zephyr and his family return with Rafael and Bia once Virgil is treated," he said, "I'm going to tell them what has happened to those six birds," his gaze landed on Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Carla, Tiago and the others, "And I believe they already know about this harrowing news as well, don't they?"

"They do," said Saturn, "We explained to them what had happened," her then slightly lightened up, "But at least we have finally won the war."

The others, small smiles managed on their faces, nodded in agreement.

 **Meanwhile**

In one part of the stormy rainforest, in a sheltered area where the canopy was thick enough to vastly reduce the amount of rain pummelling down onto the forest floor, a large group of flying foxes had gathered. The majority of the bats had abandoned the war after Jewel, Augustus and several other birds had exposed the lies of the flying fox colony's teachings about birds while the remaining bats had continued to fight but were overpowered, forcing them to surrender and retreat.

This group of flying foxes were talking about the war that had just ended as well as what was to become of them now while some colony nurse bats were treating the injured bats that had participated in the massive battle. One flying fox, a young adult male close to the end of his adolescent period, lay with his back against a tree trunk, having his scratches and other injuries treated. His left wing, which had been damaged during the fight, was set in a leaf sling and a colony nurse was cleaning his injuries of blood using damp moss. The male twisted his face and gritted his teeth as she gently dabbed the scratch on his shoulder. Nearby, his mother and father were talking to another pair with two pups; one of them clinging to its mother's body for it was too young to go by itself while the other pup was a fledgling bat.

"I can't believe that the colony teachings about those birds as being the cause of the disasters such as logging and poaching turned out to be a pack of lies after all," said the male bat's mother to the other couple, the other mother checking on the pup clinging to her breast, "It's devastating really."

"I know," said the male bat and the mate of the other mother, "When our little daughter here was about to start her first fighting lesson, in the back of my mind I doubted whether those teachings about those birds were true or not and whether it was a good idea to allow her to go ahead with these pointless fighting lessons against them, even if they were innocent."

"But many of the other bats told us not to be cowards and have her participate in them along with the other pups," said the mother, a glance to her young daughter as she hung her head in shame, her ears drooping. As she talked, the son of the first mother and her mate gazed at the group while the colony nurse continued treating his wounds.

"I think our loss of the war will be an important lesson for us all, don't you think, Mom and Dad," he said, wincing as the nurse dabbed his shoulder injury with the moss to clean it of the blood, "A lesson that birds are not to be messed with, especially since they bear lethal beaks and talons."

"I couldn't agree more, Alonzo," said his father, "Glad my mate and I abandoned the war before the charge. However, my father had been seriously wounded," he shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I don't know where he has got to but I believe that he's somewhere out there in this stormy weather…"

He gazed sombrely and guiltily into the cluttered maze of vegetation and sighed as a thunderclap sounded overhead.

"Not to mention that we now know that the birds weren't involved in the logging and poaching problems we often faced," said Alonzo's mother, "Much less them summoning those destructive humans to wreak havoc with their machines and destroying trees or capture us for the pet trade…" she shook her head, "I knew Augustus and his family were right about the teachings being false, but we were too afraid to side with him on the pain of death, like how that poor albino bat Lily had died after she had been found keeping a flock of birds hidden from the colony…" Alonzo's mother then felt disgust boil within her as she thought of the colony's now-former leaders, "Mind you I should have known that Cicatriz and Iracebeth were outright insane to come up with those plans to drive out the sanctuary birds."

"Yeah, I agree," said the mate of the other mother, "I believe their greed for more land was the driving force behind those plans and also the driving out of those other bird tribes and clans before then as well."

The other three adult bats nodded in agreement. Then Alonzo (not to be confused with Alonso the green macaw tribe patriarch) gazed at the four older adults.

"Well, what's next for us, anyway?" asked he, "How are we going to move on from all this?"

His parents and the other couple gazed at him, as did the nurse.

"I don't know, son," said Alonzo's father, "But one thing is certain; we are NEVER going to go back to the old colony ways. Like you've said, birds are creatures not to mess with."

"Especially for creatures with wings of skin like us flying foxes," said the nurse as she tossed aside the dirty moss ball and picked up a fresh one from a pile beside her, "Feathered creatures armed with beaks and talons vs furry creatures with membranous wings is a complete and utter mismatch," she dabbed the damp moss on the scratch on Alonzo's face, "And as for this whole thing about the birds of the Amazon being feathered worms, vermin, slugs and other derogatory things besides them being to blame for the disasters, I sincerely regret seeing them as that now. They are absolutely NONE of those words…" she felt a guilty tear well in one corner of her eye and wiped it away with a wing. The other four adults nodded in agreement.

"My daughter here actually found those words repulsive," said the other mother with the pup, the older female bat's sibling, clinging to her breast, "and also doubted the teachings about the birds of the Amazon. Anyway, coming back to us moving on from all this," she paused for a moment to think, "Another thing is certain; we're not going to be reforming as a colony again."

At this, Alonzo shot her a surprised gaze but his parents nodded in agreement.

"It's true, son," said his father, "Now that our leaders had gone with no heir to take their place and Augustus is absolutely against become the next leader after Cicatriz anyway, I think we'll probably establish little groups which would be no bigger than a bird clan…"

"We were just talking about that, actually," said another bat as he stood talking with several other adult flying foxes next to a patch of ferns, some of which were also having their wounds treated, "I think settling down into close-knit groups and clans like how some bird species has is a great idea. After all, there are parts of the sanctuary, as noted by that Spix macaw, that are unclaimed by any of the bird tribes and clans. We could perhaps live in those areas…"

Suddenly, the group of bats were made aware of a loud creaking and tearing sound accompanying a gusting sound of a blast of wind sweeping through the trees.

"What was that?" asked Alonzo's mother. The flying foxes all glanced this way and that until Alonzo's father's eyes landed on the source of the sound: a massive tree trunk leaning dangerously towards where they were. At this, horror tore through him. Because the tree trunk was at a great angle, it could collapse at any moment. Alarmed, he called to the other bats, "That tree's on the verge of falling. Move to a safe place, QUICKLY!"

And with that, the sounds of pattering of flying fox feet on mud filled the air as the flying foxes scrambled to move to safety, the wounded being carried and helped along while pups were scooped off their feet by their relatives. The colony nurse, with the help of Alonzo's father, picked up Alonzo carefully and carried him away while the other couple carried their pups to safety too. Within moments, the flying foxes were safely out of the way of the tree about to fall, its roots partially torn from the sediment as it continued to lean at an angle. After the evacuation was complete, Alonzo's father gazed at the lopsided tree and breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close," he said, "That's another thing birds aren't responsible for, falling trees."

"Absolutely not," snapped his mate. Just then, the group was made aware of another groaning sound. However, it was not the tearing of roots from mud, but from a wounded flying fox.

"Now what?" growled Alonzo's father in irritation.

"Sounds like one of us," said another flying fox.

"Do you think we should help that bat?" asked another. Alonzo's mother was about to reply when yet another bat saw something struggle out of a patch of ferns and towards the group. She had reddish fur, her war paint having fully washed off by the rain, but she was covered in blood, mud and forest debris like leaves. Her right wing was injured and she was using her left, along with the rest of her body, to pull herself along, her left ear was nothing more than a tattered stump with a trail of blood running from it, streaking down the side of her face and head like a red river and most of the rest of her body was covered in bleeding scars, along with patches of torn out fur, fresh scratches and bruises. The flying foxes then noticed something totally different about her eyes, which were so often full of the flames of her fierceness. However, the flying fox's normally fiery and warrior-like gaze was completely extinguished and replaced by agony and desperation; she was in a helpless state, grunting in pain and effort as she struggled along.

As she struggled towards the group of bats, crawling dangerously close to the range where the tree will fall, she shot them a pained look. However, some of the bats had recognised her immediately.

"Iracebeth?" said Alonzo's father.

"What is she doing here?" asked another flying fox. The flying fox, Iracebeth, then looked pleadingly up at her (now former) colony members.

"Can you guys lend a wing here, please?" she cried in a pain-flooded voice. The flying foxes gazed at her in surprise. Then Alonzo's nurse stepped forward.

"Do you think we should?" she asked the others. At this, the others near her shot her a glare.

"What? Are you kidding?" snapped Alonzo's father, "After all she has put us through with her mate Cicatriz?"

"But she's helpless," protested the nurse. Then Alonzo's mother stepped forward crossly.

"Look, she has caused us flying foxes enough trouble as it is," she growled, before gazing hostilely at Iracebeth, "Do you know what she will do if we help her and nurse her back to health? She'd probably recruit every flying fox and throw us into another war against those birds which would risk even more damage to us."

The nurse gazed at Iracebeth as Alonzo's father continued his mate's statement.

"I'm sorry, but it's true, Tiana," he said, "One, we've got enough problems as it is and two, we don't want to risk any more injuries or what's worse, lives getting lost just engaging those dangerously armed feathered creatures in risky and pointless fights, especially if it is based on grabbing more land and a pack of lies, which we now know aren't true."

Tiana, the nurse, continued gazing at Iracebeth for a few more seconds and then complied with Alonzo's parent's insistence that she leave Iracebeth alone. Then the flying foxes flinched when another woody groan sounded with another gust of wind. Young pups too young to fly ducked in their mothers' wings in fear while the other adult bats spread their wings across fledgling pups and teens to prevent them from approaching the danger zone. And Iracebeth was right in it.

"Stay back, everyone," said one of the adults as he watched the tree lean forward more, "That tree's about to fall."

At this, Iracebeth snapped her gaze from the group of bats to the leaning tree trunk. It was leaning right towards her. Flooded with alarm, she turned back to the bats and screamed at them to help her. The bats looked on at their former matriarch. After all she and Cicatriz, and their predecessors before them, had put them through resulting in the loss of so many lives and many more bats getting injured during every driving out of a bird tribe or clan or war against them, they felt absolutely no sliver of trust in her anymore, so Iracebeth's cries for help fell on deaf ears. As she continued screaming for help, Alonzo's father turned to the other bats, knowing what was imminent, and said, "Let's just turn our backs on her and leave her to her fate."

The others then stole one last glance at Iracebeth and all turned round. Adult bats commanded their fledgling pups to do the same.

"So much for her being one of the best bird fighters in our colony," said Alonzo's mother disgustedly as she helped her son to turn his back on Iracebeth, "If you ask me, I think she should have received a fatal wound from that harpy eagle she had managed to slay by herself and died from it."

The others nodded in agreement. Then within seconds, all backs were turned to Iracebeth. At this, the helpless flying fox screamed all the more for help. No answer. Iracebeth continued screaming but still no reply. Then another loud groan of wood and the ripping of roots from mud sounded with a gust of wind, pulling her attention to the leaning tree trunk as it continued tilting in her direction. The tree had reached its critical angle now and was seconds away from toppling. One more gust and it is over. Flooded with desperation, Iracebeth tried to crawl to safety but her injuries hindered her. She continued to cry to the bats in vain but then another gust of strong wind battered the tree, pushing it finally beyond its critical angle. Iracebeth screamed as she watched the massive log of wood careen towards her, the roots tearing more from the mud as the tree collapsed. All the bats heard behind their backs was the ripping of tree roots from mud, the swishing of leaves bushing against the leaves of the other plants, a short scream of terror and then a mighty crash so loud that it sent vibrations through the ground, making the flying foxes jump. But still they kept their backs turned to Iracebeth. The tree trunk had fallen onto Iracebeth and had crushed her to death. She had uttered a terrified scream that was cut off the moment the tree trunk landed on her. What was left of the deranged matriarch now was her wing poking out from under the fallen log, its roots twisting at the air like claws with strings of mud and debris hanging off of them. The flying foxes, after hearing the silence that came after the crash then moved on without even acknowledging their former matriarch's death, not even shooting a glance at Iracebeth's new grave as they moved away.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45- the aftermath part two: the damage has been done**

Back in the battlefield, all the other birds were in a rush to find shelter from the stormy rains, winds and lightning as the weather continued to rage. Casualties had been rushed to safety but some of them had been wounded beyond saving. Some of the hyacinth macaws, along with some glaucous macaws and Spix macaws flew in a certain direction in an effort to find shelter for as many of the other birds as possible. Among them were Marinho, Rudi, Valeria and Roxie, the Spix tribe's scoremarker. They, and most of the other birds, were covered in cuts and bruises, some worse than others, with those that were injured most either being carried to safety or to the hospital. As the group flew along in search of shelter, some red, blue-throated and a few more hyacinth macaws, among them the hyacinth/military hybrid Falkor and a few archaeobirds and their bat-birds, among them Ophiuchus and his mate Honeydew, had gathered around a certain mortally wounded hyacinth macaw lying in some ferns. Ophiuchus saw Marinho and called him over with a squeaky call. At this, Marinho flew over to the group and when he saw his uncle Flavio lay there, he rushed over to his side. As he did that, a few birds came in, having flown from the Spix tribe's ravine, to tell the news about the battle and its conclusion. However, Marinho's eyes were fixated on his dying uncle and he touched down by his side. Falkor gazed at Marinho with a sombre look.

"I'm afraid his injury is too great," he said, "And the blood loss from his stab wound too fast. We could not take him to the hospital because of that."

The group parted to allow Marinho to access his uncle as he struggled to breathe. He found breathing laboured and painful and a large lump of moss had been placed on the stab wound where Iracebeth had struck him with her sharp-stick, on his stomach. Marinho leaned over his uncle while the birds that had flown in from the ravine talked with some of the battlefield fighters, among them Rudi and Valeria and also Roxie. When one of the birds told Rudi and Valeria what had happened to one of their first cousin, once removed, Flor and also to Triton and several other birds, the couple's eyes lit with alarm accompanied by a sharp gasp entering their beaks, and they both immediately lofted into flight and charged off into the jungle, heading for the hospital. Some of the other birds, among them Roxie, followed. As Rudi disappeared into the jungle, Marinho continued talking to Flavio.

"I'm afraid… I don't have much time left… my nephew," said Flavio in a hushed and laboured voice, before entering another episode of rapid and laboured breathing. Marinho gazed back at him, tears falling from his eyes.

"That's ridiculous," he said in a strangled voice, "You've got plenty of time left. You're gonna be alright."

However, he knew that this wasn't true. Iracebeth had inflicted a fatal wound and now he was dying. As his life ebbed away, Flavio began to pass on his role of leadership of the Navyfeather Clan, among some other duties, to his nephew.

"Now that my… time as leader… has come to an end," whispered Flavio, "It's time for you… to take over… as leader of the… Navyfeathers…"

Marinho opened his beak to speak but Flavio continued. "Also… help the last surviving… Bluewing Clan hyacinth macaws… make them a part of your clan for there… aren't many of them left…"

Marinho flashed a glance at Ophiuchus, Honeydew and the other birds a tearful glance. Like him, these birds were also weeping and some of the hyacinth macaws were part of the decimated Bluewing Clan. Marinho began to protest.

"Please, can't Neptune and Ultramarine be your successors?" he asked, "One, I don't have a mate and two, I'm still not sure I'm ready to lead the clan…"

"I have decided…" said Flavio painfully, "You are to take my… place. After all… you're my oldest nephew and thus the heir to the role…"

Marinho tried to protest again but Flavio continued, interrupting him once again. "Also, you must… help Augustus and the other… flying foxes that… had been against… the teachings about us… birds start anew with everyone else… h-h-help them settle into… an unclaimed area of the sanctuary…"

"The cloaked group will deal with that," said Falkor, a wing rising to his eye to wipe away a tear. He hated seeing his patients die, especially if they were wounded beyond repair. The tears from Marinho's eyes increased.

"I will do my best, Uncle," he murmured in a splintered voice.

"…And also… help Rudi and Valeria… a-a-a-and their tribe… as well… a-a-a-as everyone else…" murmured Flavio in a quieter voice. He sensed that death was seconds away, so he used the last ounces of his strength to honour Augustus and his family.

"A-A-Augustus and the other… f-f-flying foxes who… helped us through this… w-w-war deserve to… be honoured," he whispered, "Make sure that they… a-a-are rewarded… I owe a lot to them…"

Marinho nodded, more tears spilling down his cheeks. Next to him, Honeydew leaned against Ophiuchus, her wing claws on her chest. Flavio then uttered his last words.

"Y-y-you will be a great clan leader… M-M-M-Marinho," he whispered, "You're v-v-very wise… and besides that… you've got your sister and… br-br-brother-in-law to help you…"

And after this, he breathed his last. His head rolled over to one side and his eyes shut. Marinho looked on.

"Uncle?" he asked. No answer. Marinho became desperate. "Uncle?" he cried in a louder voice. At this, Falkor placed a talon on Flavio's neck to check his pulse. When he got the result, tears welled in his eyes and he gazed at the others. The other birds, at this, felt the confirmation dawn on them and they all began to weep. Then hyacinth macaws all bowed their heads to their now deceased leader with the glaucous macaws while Marinho sobbed into his lifeless uncle's body, his head buried in his chest feathers. His body rocked with his loud sobs while Falkor placed a comforting wing on his shoulder. Then Ophiuchus began to look around for Rudi and Valeria. Shouldn't they be here to pay their respects to Flavio? But then Ophiuchus realised something: some of the birds that had flown in from the Spix tribe's ravine to give the news that the battle in the ravine had been won had told the glaucous tribe leaders some harrowing news which Ophiuchus did not hear. However, it had sent the couple rushing off to the hospital, and Ophiuchus wondered how harrowing the news was but he feared the worst. Ophiuchus then gazed into the stormy jungle as lightning flashed in the sky and Marinho's continual sobs filled the air, a sombre and worried look on his face.

 **Some time later**

The rain continued pelting down on the rainforest, with the winds gusting through the trees. Lightning continued to flash and clap through the sky as though to rip it apart and the black clouds continued to hover, throwing down their contents onto the rainforest below. The majority of the rainforest's animals, among them most of the birds and flying foxes, had now taken shelter in a variety of places such as caves, hollows, dens and some other forms of cover. However, a few birds were out in the open for they were on their way to the animal hospital to visit the casualties. They flew through the canopy to keep out of the rain as much as possible. The group consisted of Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, along with Sheldon, Mimas and Byron, and Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan, Cassia, Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora, Jewel, Carla and Tiago.

As the group flew through the trees, Sapphire was talking with Jewel.

"So you've seen a family of harpy eagles eat Cicatriz?" she asked in amazement, before a frown formed on her face, "Such a big irony considering the fact that his mate had killed one by herself."

"And also the fact that he despised birds and killed them based on a bunch of lies," added Mercury. Then Phoebe, who flew alongside her sisters Annette and Jasmine and her new mate Squaw'tagnan, flashed a glance at Jupiter at the front.

"And I find it hard to believe that he had been there to witness that deranged bat's death at the claws and beaks of those highly feared birds of prey as well," she said.

"And Andromeda with Rouge and also Augustus," said Annette.

"Must have been gruesome to watch considering the fact that harpy eagles dismember their prey to eat them," said Jasmine in revulsion.

"That's exactly what those eagles did to Cicatriz," said Jewel, "But we had to look away because it was so gruesome but we still heard him scream in extreme agony as the eagles did their gory work."

"You must have felt nauseated," said Squaw'tagnan.

"Jupiter and Andromeda did," said Jewel, "That's one of the reasons why we had to make our escape. Another was the danger involved knowing what those birds are like with us macaws."

Carla and Tiago flashed their mother a shuddered glance, remembering having to deal with _two_ of those monstrous birds in Guyana on their trip, but they had been accompanied by so many of their companions when it happened. The thought of Cicatriz's mate killing on singlehandedly still sounded ridiculous but they knew full well that challenging a pair of harpy eagles, especially right in their nest when they had chicks to feed, by oneself was utterly and extremely dangerous and insane to say the least. No wonder Cicatriz was overpowered, caught and eventually butchered. Then Jewel moved on.

"By the way, Daddy had explained to me how some of you had become mates during the fight in the ravine during our absence," she said both with a frown and with gladness. Carla and Tiago, at this, smiled.

"We certainly are," said Carla, "I'm now Justin's mate and Tiago is Matilda's mate."

"Virgil is Bia's mate," said Tiago, "While Squaw'tagnan here is Phoebe's mate as are Io, Europa and Ganymede," he nodded to Jupiter's group at the front, "of Sheldon, Byron and Mimas respectively."

"We all proposed to each other and paired up during the battle," said Aurora as she flew alongside her mate Tyler, brother-in-law Ricardo and mother-in-law Cassia. Her gaze then turned to Callisto who was yet to have Athos propose to her but he had been absent the whole time due to his damaged foot. Then Jupiter's voice sounded, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"We're almost there," said he as he recognised the surroundings. The others smiled.

"I hope Blu is doing alright," said Jewel, "Mind you he'll be in there for quite some time while his wing heals."

"What happened to him almost mirrors your incident when Nigel broke your wing aboard that plane, isn't it, Aunt Jewel?" said Io as she flew alongside Sheldon. Jewel nodded.

"And Virgil suffered an ordeal that sounds reminiscent of what Uncle Zephyr suffered at the claws of that wicked cat Brutus," said Europa.

"Based on my calculations," said Ganymede, "I'd say those pairs of incidences share, um… 50 percent similarity."

The others chuckled at Ganymede's nerdy nature.

"When you and Mimas have kids, I wouldn't be surprised if any of them inherit your scientific personality, son," said Jupiter. Ganymede and Mimas smiled and nuzzled against each other.

"When they do have chicks, the result is going to be harlequin macaws, isn't it?" said Phoebe. Ganymede shook his head.

"No, harlequins are a cross between a _green-winged_ macaw and a blue-and-gold," he said, "The name of a hybrid macaw that is a cross between a scarlet and a blue-and-gold is _Catalina."_

"Catalina macaws, of course," said Phoebe, "I stand corrected."

"We'll be having quite a few other interesting hybrids as well," said Mimas, "considering the fact that we have a scarlet/great green pairing in Benjamin, one of Felipe's sons, and Umbriel, a blue-and-gold/great green pairing in Tethys and Oberon, and a blue-and-gold/hyacinth pairing in Enceladus and Trixie."

Her face then fell as she thought about Enceladus's mate and what she had been through. "Mind you, I feel sorry for her and the other hyacinth macaws of the decimated Bluewing Clan."

"I know, it's been a tragedy," said Sheldon in agreement. The others also nodded. As the outskirts of the hospital melted into view, the group suddenly the heard the sounds of arguing taking place. At this, dread came over them especially as they recognised the voices of the arguers.

"That sounds like Uncle Neptune and… and… isn't that Penelope?" said Carla.

"Then what are they arguing about?" asked Sheldon. The group then accelerated their flight towards the hospital and within seconds, the group also saw two large navy blue forms fly away from the hospital, one of them entering the trees, sobbing while the other returned to the hospital.

"That's Neptune while the other one that had flown away into the trees was Penelope," said Byron as he recognised the two hyacinth macaws.

"Well, let's find out what's going on," said Jewel, "His family, along with Pluto, Uranus, Zephyr and their families and friends and also Travis and company should be there as well considering who had been severely injured. Let's go."

And with that, the group picked up speed and when they were near the building, they made a beeline for the hospital's upper floor where the birds department was. Jupiter saw the flash of navy blue as the hyacinth macaw, Neptune, entered an open window.

"Looks like they're in there," he said and with that, he led the group towards it. As the group neared the window, Jupiter commanded them to wait here before proceeding to knock on the glass. Io, Carla, Bia and the others hovered there as he did that, exchanging glances.

"Who is it?" came a voice who the group recognised belonged to Zephyr. However, it sounded very upset much to their surprise.

"It's Jupiter, I have brought some visitors along," replied Jupiter.

"Alright, you can come in," replied Zephyr's voice. With that, Jupiter nodded to the others and the group entered through the window. As the last ones entered the room, a familiar voice shouted, "Jewel, Carla, Tiago!"

At this, the three Spix macaws turned and saw a familiar rich blue form, his right wing in a cast in a cage, smile at them. The three rushed over to him.

"Blu, you're alright," said Jewel, reaching through the bars and hugging her mate before pressing her beak against his in a living greeting. Carla and Tiago also hugged their father and were soon greeted by Bia.

"Mom, Tiago, Carla," said she, "You've come to visit too."

She then shared a hug with her family. Then another Spix macaw, an electric blue male with his shoulder and wing in a cast and a hyacinth, his torso wrapped in bandages, also gazed at the newcomers.

"Virgil, Victor," said Carla and Tiago and they went over to greet them as well. Carla hugged Virgil while Tiago shared a fist-bump with Victor. Then Carla and Tiago were swept up into a group hug by Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and also Venus and Zephyr. However, the group's happiness was shallow. As they broke the group hug, Jewel began to ask Zephyr why they were unhappy as some of the others, Indigo, Pluto, Charon, Blueberry, Neytiri, Aiden and Quincy, along with Rudi and Valeria, and Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Aramis and Oberon, and also Travis, Milo and Rosa and Clemont and Serena gathered around them. From their cages, the casualty macaws, Ruby, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ted, Alfonso, Lapis Lazuli, Nuvem and Waldo (the rescued and surviving prisoners who had been through such a nightmarish ordeal on the flying foxes' territory), Ceres, Athos, Sunset and Glimmergem, and also Monique, gazed at the newcomers. Zephyr backed away as Jewel, Carla and Tiago, along with Jupiter, Mercury, Cassia and company, gathered round. In one corner, Neptune and Ultramarine stood in a sombre embrace in front of a certain cage, weeping. In two more cages next to that one, two more familiar figures stood with bedding of soft tissue sprawled around them, also weeping greatly.

"Flor and Ash are still in surgery at the moment," Zephyr said sombrely, before turning to the three cages where Neptune and Ultramarine were, "And Titania's fine, she's just had a broken wing…"

Uranus then took over. "Ash has had an extremely narrow escape when that flying fox stabbed him through the back with its sharp-stick. We thought he had already died when we rushed him to the hospital but it seems that we had managed to save him in time."

"Where about in the back was he stabbed?" asked Cassia, Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora flanking her. Ariel shot the four a dark gaze.

"Just about where the heart was," she said, sending shivers coursing through the group. Ariel flashed a glance at the closed door, "We don't know the extent of the damage yet for he's still in surgery but we'll find out when the surgeons had finished…"

"As for Flor," added Aramis, "She, along with Eustace, was brutally attacked by one of the hulking flying foxes while trying to protect some macaws. Again, we don't know how bad the damage's extent is but…"

"And as for Eustace and Triton…" said Uranus as he gazed at the two birds in their cages near to Ultramarine and Neptune. He trailed off for a moment, not wanting to divulge the sad news.

"Uncle Uranus," said Io, "What's up with Eustace and Triton?"

Uranus and the others turned to them, tears in his eyes. Travis, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena, and also Indigo, and Victor, Blu and Virgil from their cages, gazed at the group. Some also trembled and swayed as though they were about to faint. Then Io and Sheldon flew over to Eustace, Titania and Triton's cages.

"You two, don't…" began Jupiter. Too late. The mixed scarlet/scarlet-green-winged couple had already touched down before the three cages next to Neptune and Ultramarine. Titania, her broken wing in a cast, gazed at them with surprise but then her face fell.

"Before you ask, Triton and Eustace are not in the mood for talking," she said firmly.

"Yes," said Ceres from a cage above Titania's, Glimmergem and Sunset's cages flanking it, "They're too upset."

"Why?" Sheldon asked as some of the others came round.

"What's happened?" asked Io. At these questions, Neptune and Ultramarine looked up, before Neptune walked over to Io and Sheldon and the other younger macaws to take them aside.

"Triton has been badly clawed over the face," he whispered in a low voice, "While Eustace was badly attacked," he stole a glance at Ultramarine as she talked with Jupiter, Jewel, Mercury and Sapphire. Then Neptune trailed off, not wanting to divulge the result, but Io and Sheldon, along with Carla, Tiago, Europa, Byron, Ganymede, Mimas, Callisto, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan, Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora, wanted to know the news.

"Uncle Neptune," said Jasmine in a low voice, "What has happened to Triton and Eustace?"

Neptune didn't answer but pointed to the two cages containing those two birds. At this, Jasmine, Io, Sheldon and the others followed his point and began to examine the two birds, catching a glimpse of Triton's head and Eustace's lower body.

Both the hyacinth macaw and the sulfur-crested/Major Mitchell's hybrid cockatoo wore bandages, Eustace more than Triton. Eustace's crest was in tatters with only one or two feathers of it remaining and the majority of his lower body was a suit of bandages. The plumage on Eustace's face which was tear-stained from him crying so much, and upper body was patchy as well as crisscrossed with gashes, one or two that required stitching, and his wings were in tatters with only a few flight feathers remaining, implying that some of his feathers had been ripped out by the flying fox that had attacked him. His bandaged lower body concealed worse injuries that Io and the others daren't imagine but when their eyes moved down to his talons, they saw only one foot, the right one, was placed on the floor of the cage, on top of the bedding. Where was Eustace's other leg? Io then began to examine the bandages around Eustace's lower body, hoping that his left leg was tucked away in them. However, to her dismay, she could not see any lump that would imply his other leg. The others also saw this and when they did, dread came over them. Then Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto examined Triton. He bore fewer claw marks and ripped out feathers than Eustace, his navy blue plumage largely unmarked but most of his head, particularly his left side where the flying fox had attacked, was bandaged. The bandages covered his left eye completely, leaving only his right eye which wept tears nonstop. Then Io turned to Neptune, asking the silent question, but Neptune only replied with a very distressed look on his face. However, inside, the group had already felt it dawn upon them, but it were ideas that they didn't like, especially for Triton after they saw Penelope fly off into the forest before entering the hospital.

Io and Sheldon looked on in horror, while Europa stood with her wings on her beak. Ganymede, Byron, Carla and Tiago tried not to sway while the others only looked on with tears in their eyes. It was then that the sound of the door bolt clicking out of place reached the group's ears, alerting them. Ceres from her cage gazed at the door.

"Looks like the surgeons have finished operating on Flor," she said when she saw a human male walk in, a bundle of white cloth in his arms. At this, Jupiter called the others to back away, which they did. As the group of macaws watched the surgeon, his mask hanging from his head and dressed in a blue-white robe, made a beeline for an open cage and gently placed the bundle into there. He then hooked up the animal to a drip, checked its food bowl and water tube and did other little jobs before closing the cage door and leaving. After the man had disappeared, closing the door behind him, Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Aramis and Pluto, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy, Neytiri, Aiden and Rudi and Valeria rushing over to the cage first. From their cages, Ruby, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ted, Alfonso, Lapis Lazuli, Nuvem and Waldo (who had been talking to Mercury and Sapphire), and also Ceres, Glimmergem, Blu, Virgil, Victor and Sunset looked on as the animal in the bundle shifted. Then Lapis Lazuli noticed that only one of the two patients had just come out of surgery.

"Where's the other one?" she asked. Esmeralda was about to reply when the animal in the bundle shook off its cloth. As the observers watched through the cage bars, they saw that it was Flor based on a few sea green feathers jutting from her bandages. Most of Flor's body was covered in bandages, except for her face and beak which was laced with tiredness for she still had some anaesthetic in her system. However, she was badly shaken from the entire ordeal. Pluto began to speak to his youngest first-brood daughter.

"Flor," he said. When he got no answer, he shouted a little louder, "Flor."

At this, the sea green glaucous macaw slowly turned round and faced him and the other pairs of eyes belonging to her older sister, two brothers, her first cousin once removed and his mate. Behind the glaucous macaws, the green macaws had stood back, thinking it inappropriate to crowd Flor.

"Hi, folks," murmured Flor wearily. Rudi tipped his head to one side.

"What's up with her?" asked he.

"She's probably still got some anaesthetic in her system," replied Charon. when Rudi and Valeria made confused faces, Charon explained. "It's a substance that puts animals and humans to sleep so that surgery can be carried out on them."

"At least it's for good and not for bad like that 'sleeping plant' those horrible flying foxes had discovered and knocked their victims to haul back to their decrepit territory," muttered Valeria. The others nodded in agreement. Then Charon asked Flor.

"Where's Ash?" asked he. Flor gazed back at her family and group, tears falling from her eyes but from the aftershocks of what she had been through.

"I don't know," she replied in a shaky voice, "We were put straight to sleep for our operations when we arrived here, I imagine he should be…"

"Guys," called Travis's voice as he returned into the window. Despite the burden of grief he felt for Eustace, he had flown out of the window and had entered the emergency room to check on Ash. At this, the others turned round.

"Did you get a glimpse of Ash?" asked Uranus, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Aramis and also Titania wearing hopeful faces. Esmeralda also wore a hopeful look.

"I did," said Travis, "I've just been in the emergency room and I've found him hooked up to a drip and a respirator. Based on what the surgeons had said, his heart and major blood vessels are still intact…"

At this, immense relief coursed through the group.

"That's good to know," breathed Uranus in relief. Some even wept, Titania especially for Ash was her new mate.

"But he had suffered massive blood loss," continued Travis, "And had to have a blood transfusion and reconstructive surgery to repair the damage."

"It seems that the sharp-stick had miraculously missed his heart and vital vessels," said Victor tearfully and joyfully at the same time, "Otherwise it would have been fatal."

Jewel, Blu, Carla, Bia, Tiago and Zephyr, Venus, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Cassia, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora and Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto and everyone else all smiled. But then Travis's face fell as he eyed the depressed Eustace in his cage once again. Then as the group resumed talking to the other casualties, Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan with Waldo, Jupiter and the other red macaws with Ruby, and Uranus, Miranda and Ariel with Esmeralda while Umbriel, Aramis and Oberon chatted with Titania and Ted, Cassia, Tyler, Aurora and Ricardo with Nuvem along with Zephyr and his family, and Pluto and his family excluding Flor with Lapis Lazuli, Travis's mind began to drift off at what had happened over the past few weeks.

After the war had been won, Travis, along with Sunset after she had come out of surgery, and also Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro, Rose, Sparkle and Cometa and Lightning, had been filled in about the events leading up to the war including the intrusions which became more frequent and all that had happened. When he had heard everything, Travis had been utterly horrified at what a lot of his extended family had been through, such as how Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette's younger brother, Ozzy, along with Charon, Blueberry, Quincy and Flor's brother Charlie had been killed during the flying foxes' intrusions throughout the Sanctuary de Amazon. He had also flinched at the horrifying torture Ruby, Esmeralda, Orquidea and Lapis Lazuli, along with Ted, Nuvem, Alfonso and Waldo had been through at the wings of the flying foxes for information, the siege on the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' home patch that Ceres, Cobalto, Wilbur, Aurelio, Azul, Fernanda and also Enceladus who had been there visiting his hyacinth girlfriend Trixie at the time had narrowly escaped death, resulting in Ceres landing in the hospital and the surviving blue-throated and Bluewing hyacinth macaws left scarred for life from the whole ordeal, but it was the Bluewing Clan that suffered the most for they were forced to sacrifice themselves to protect the smaller and more vulnerable blue-throated macaws from the marauding bats.

Travis had also been horrified at Eustace and company's involvement in the war as well, such as Orion narrowly escaping death from a group of flying foxes during his phone conversation with Blu, and Clemont and Serena narrowly escaping death when they were jabbed with porcupine quills laced with a tranquiliser-like plant paste, along with Ganymede, Saturn, Orquidea and Ruby before the latter two were taken, and how Rosa had suffered a blow to the head with a stick during the skirmish on a group of green macaws leading to Esmeralda, Ted and Waldo's kidnap. Travis had also been amazed by how his sons and daughter and their friends had played a crucial role in alerting the birds to the flying foxes' new way of capturing birds for interrogation and helping them thorough the war, as well as a brave flying fox named Augustus, along with Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna, his family, had fed information about the flying foxes' plans to the birds, and how some more flying foxes who were against the colony's teachings that all the birds of the Amazon were vermin and were to blame for the disasters that affected the colony (which had also been explained to him, Sunset, Rafael and the other city birds) had helped to keep so many birds, among them various extremely rare and undiscovered species, hidden from the rest of the colony, sometimes even at the cost of their own lives like Lily, the late cousin of Melissa. It had been a truly difficult and traumatic time for everyone, but then Travis's mind turned to his son Eustace as he continued to sob, his tear-filled lilac eyes gazing at his single right foot. How was he going to adapt to a life with just one talon, while Triton will have to adapt to life with half his sight since his left eye had been damaged? Travis sighed as these thoughts preyed on his mind. Triton had lost sight in his left eye, having sacrificed it to save Sebastian, Stella and Luna and though the eye itself was not injured enough to be removed, Triton was to be blind in that eye for the rest of his life, while Eustace, who had lost his left talon to aid his friends in battle will have to live the rest of his days with a single talon. It was no wonder they were so devastated…


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46- the clean-up continues, despair**

 **Some time later**

The news of the horrific injuries of Flor, Eustace, Triton, Titania, Victor, Virgil and Ash, especially those of Eustace and Triton and also Ash's close brush with death had spread among the other birds like wildfire, and many birds had offered their respects to those seven birds. As the large flock of evacuees continued to wait out the storm in the Spix tribe's waterfall cave, the elderly chatting about their lives and their younger years, kids being cared for by their relatives and parents and other birds, and as everyone looked forward to being reunited with those that had fought on the main battlefield who had taken shelter elsewhere on the sanctuary to wait until the rains and winds eased off, Augustus sat on the far end of the waterfall cave which extended far back underground, his gaze mixed with happiness, sorrow and sympathy examining the colourful sea of feathers with the occasional drab colour of fur and membranous wings of the few flying foxes, those that had left the colony to help the birds in hiding after Lily's death, as they rested, talked and played. From the ceiling near him Melissa, Sebastian, Stella and Luna hung upside down from a root that grew through the cave wall and ran like a snake along the ceiling, resting with their wings wrapped around their bodies like all bats when they rested. However, Augustus was restless for his mind swam in the shock, the horror and the devastation of the events that had just happened, especially to some of the birds such as the seven in hospital. He had been utterly horrified at what happened in particular to Triton when that bat clawed him right over the left side of his face while protecting Sebastian, Stella and Luna, resulting in irreparable damage to his left eye and loss of sight in it as a consequence, and also Eustace who had lost a talon as a result of a particularly savage fight with a hulking flying fox. The injuries had happened while Augustus had been away with Jupiter, Andromeda, Jewel and several others dealing with Cicatriz.

While Augustus thought over the events that had just happened, a plump cerulean macaw walked up to him.

"Well, what's next for you, Augustus?" asked the macaw which was Mimi, drawing Augustus's attention out of his thoughts and towards her, "Are you thinking about establishing a clan of flying foxes somewhere on the sanctuary?"

"I was just going over what has happened over the past few days," Augustus replied, "Especially the unfortunate casualties that had suffered thorough this war, but other than that, I kind of was going over that too," he shrugged and gazed at Marcus as he talked with a group of Cuban macaws and purple macaws. "I think I'll probably help Marcus and the other allied flying foxes help those critically endangered birds settle into the sanctuary actually, as soon as this mess has been cleaned up…"

"There is a large patch of free territory with plenty of food and shelter," said Mimi, "You might wanna check that out…"

"Not while this storm's in progress," said Augustus, his gaze landing on one of the holes in the cave. It was still raining heavily outside and a flicker lit up the jungle as lightning flashed, accompanied by a crack of thunder during the blinks. He then sighed as another thing came to mind as his eyes landed on a certain family of hyacinth macaws consisting of Neptune, Ultramarine, Indigo and Violet as they rested with Pluto, Blueberry, Charon and Quincy.

"I still can't believe that the son of that hyacinth macaw over there has lost sight in his left eye," Augustus murmured, "as a result of that flying fox's clawing him in the face while protecting my son and daughters…"

His ears lowered and went horizontal as he gazed at the resting Neptune, Ultramarine, Indigo and Violet. Then Augustus's eyes travelled to Travis, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena as they talked with each other and also Cometa, Lightning, Orion and Velocity, Nico, Pedro, Rose, Sparkle, Rafael and Eva about the war that had just ended as well as the events leading up to it while Diantha rested nearby.

"Not to mention the crested parrot who I believe is the son of that yellow crested white parrot over there, and his loss of a talon," said Augustus, nodding to Travis.

"They're called cockatoos," said Mimi.

"Their species has a name?" asked Augustus in surprise. He was not familiar with the species of Travis, Sunset and their hybrid offspring, and certainly not with peregrine falcons, the species of Cometa and her family. He then returned to sympathising with Travis and Neptune's families and going over what life-changing aspects Eustace and Triton were going to face once they recover from their injuries, "As I was saying, losing a talon or sight in one eye are obviously life-changing injuries for those two unfortunate casualties. They are going to need a lot of help to adapt to life with just one talon and eye…"

"Triton had been extremely brave in sacrificing half of his sight to protect your three young 'uns from that beastly ball of fur, muscle and membrane wings, Augustus," said Mimi, nodding to the snoozing Sebastian, Stella and Luna, "It's just unfortunate that it had to happen."

Augustus nodded in agreement. Although he was full of pity for Triton for the loss of sight in his left eye, he had been grateful for his brave action in defending Sebastian, Stella and Luna from that monster that was the muscular flying fox from killing them. He also admired Eustace's bravery ion combating a hulking flying fox more than twice his size alongside Flor but had been overpowered and brutally savaged, leading to irreparable damage in his left talon. Flor had managed to escape with serious cuts and bruises but with all four of her limbs but it was likely that she will bear a few battle scars when she returns to the wild.

Then Augustus's eyes travelled to Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Aurelio and Fernanda as they talked with the other birds. "As for the blue-throated macaws and the remaining hyacinth macaws of the clan they had lived with," he said, "I believe they've suffered much of the brunt of our now-former colony's attacks on you birds," Augustus sniffled as the thoughts of what his own colony had put the blue-throated macaws and Bluewing Clan through and what those poor macaws and other birds had to face rushed through his mind. "If only I had warned them sooner…"

"It's not your fault," said Mimi firmly, "You explained to us that you and your family weren't aware of Cicatriz's plans on driving out those clans and the other smaller groups until too late."

Augustus nodded to that but he still blamed himself for the deep wounds the blue-throated macaws and surviving Bluewing hyacinth macaws had suffered during the horrifying night when Cicatriz had led the invaders in attacking and slaughtering most of them and driving the rest out, and it was likely those wounds would develop into permanent mental scars. Mimi then put a comforting wing on his shoulder.

"It's time to move on," she said gently, "What has happened will be put behind us but will still be included in our history lessons so that our future chicks and pups will understand this great event, what happened and why so many of us have various scars and so on. In the meantime, this is when we start anew once we have dealt with whatever is left of this great battle against the flying foxes for the sanctuary."

Augustus nodded, comforted by Mimi's words. Then his mind returned to Eustace and Triton.

"And I hope that hyacinth macaw who has lost sight in his left eye and the cockatoo or whatever you call that crested parrot who has lost his left talon will be able to adapt to their new way of life too. I would like to support them," he said, before his eyes looked over the sea of multi-coloured feathers, "But they do have a lot of family and friend support after all, something me and my family didn't have much of in our colony…"

He then breathed another sad sigh as his gaze returned to Travis and the others with him.

"Eustace, the name of the cockatoo who had lost his talon, was extremely brave in helping in the fight, much like Triton when he protected your young 'uns," said Mimi, "The same applies to some of the other birds that were injured, like Victor when he protected Indigo and ended up slashed across the torso, Titania when she rescued some of the Lear's macaw chicks…" she paused briefly, "And also the hyacinth macaws of the Bluewing Clan who laid their lives down to save the more vulnerable blue-throated macaws from certain slaughter from those invading bats."

"It seems that the bravest who are willing to protect the most vulnerable are the ones who suffer the most, isn't it?" said Augustus, "Just like how my cousin-in-law Lily had suffered just protecting those birds," he nodded to some of them, among them a family of Cuban macaws, "from the rest of the colony. Sadly, my deranged brother had managed to find her hiding place and she was dragged before most of the rest of the colony and brutally put to death, leading to my mate Melissa's heartbreak."

Mimi gazed at the bizarre species of macaws and several other birds that had hid all this time since Lily's death. "Are there any other birds and allied flying foxes like them?" she asked.

"Yes, they've been aiding on the main battlefield," said Augustus, "And since the war has been won, I believe they'll be sheltering away with the other fighters from this storm."

Mimi nodded in agreement. Then curiosity about the strange species of birds and their history came over her.

"By the way," said she, "What sorts of birds are they and where are they from?"

Augustus turned to her and launched into an explanation.

"The majority of those birds Lily and some other flying foxes had helped to hide are very rare and critically endangered species," he said. At this, Bia, Ganymede and Mimas happened to come by and hear this. Interest gripping them, they stopped, sat down and began to listen to Augustus as he went on, noticing the trio briefly.

"Two of the species, the Cuban red macaws and the Dominican green-and-yellow macaws, are from the Caribbean islands. Their ancestors had managed to migrate south from that region to escape human activity such as hunting and poaching, and they had settled here in the Amazon rainforest. The birds you see now are the descendants of those migrants. However, there are only a few dozen Cuban reds and Dominican green-and-yellows remaining…"

"That's only about the size of a small bird group," said Mimi.

"Apparently, they're the last Cuban reds and Dominican green-and-yellows in the entire world," said Augustus.

"That's interesting," whispered Ganymede as he, Mimas and Bia listened. Then Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette, Squaw'tagnan and Dione and Porthos came by to join in and listen. Augustus then explained about the other strange species of birds, such as the purple-and-pink macaws, silvery toucans and the neon parakeets, parakeets with fluorescent coloured feathers like the colours of certain human things such as highlighter pens and safety vests.

"Sounds like those birds are some undiscovered species," whispered Bia.

"And the Cuban macaws and Dominican macaws," added Mimas, "Aren't they supposed to be extinct?"

"So basically, your cousin-in-law Lily managed to rescue and hide those extremely rare birds from the rest of the colony?" asked Mimi intrigued. The audience of listeners continued to expand as Carla, Tiago, Matilda, Charlotte, Justin, Jojo, Kira, Felix, Turquesa, Lavender, Garrett and Músculo joined in, followed by some other birds, attracted to the interesting backstory of Lily's rescued birds.

"Yes, sometimes during the invasion of the colony on the land belonging to those bird groups," said Augustus. He nodded to a group of neon parakeets as they introduced themselves to Mars, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Chiquitita and Estelle. "The neon parakeets once lived as a tribe but during Mom and Dad, Sombra and Bruto's leading of the flying fox colony, they were brutally attacked and either slaughtered driven out but Lily, along with Marcus and Ana, managed to lead some of them to safety moments before the siege and rescue a few more that had managed to escape the siege shortly after it ended. The clans of the Dominican and Cuban macaws," he nodded to a group of yellow and green macaws with red markings of skin on their faces, and to a group of scarlet-like macaws but with burgundy on their wing coverts and bright yellow-orange patches on the backs of their heads and necks, "were evacuated when Bruto and Sombra planned to slaughter the groups to take their land and homes as well."

"So basically, Lily and her friends who had allied themselves with the birds were sort of running a conservation project?" asked Bia, interrupting the story. Augustus shot the Spix macaw a confused look.

"Conservation?" he asked.

"It's what humans, those who care for the environment, do to try and preserve especially rare species like us Spix macaws," explained Justin.

"What Lily did sounded similar to what those caring humans did to ensure our protection from extinction," said Carla.

"Partly that and also partly to save those birds from complete annihilation by the flying fox colony," said Augustus.

"Were there any Lear's, glaucous and Spix macaws rescued?" asked Matilda.

"Or any of the commoner species like scarlet and green-winged macaws?" asked Ganymede. Augustus turned to the audience.

"Yes, only one or two families of those species who didn't seem to live as part of a tribe or clan," said he. "They were rescued when flying foxes started intruding into their home patch looking for birds to slaughter and their feathers harvested as trophies, some of the groups being some adolescent pups who had never killed a bird yet," Augustus stopped to think. "I believe they might still be living with us. If they are, I'll let you know."

"We would love to meet them," said Tiago excitedly.

"After the storm clears or eases off," said Augustus, happy at that request. Then Carla, Tiago, Bia, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and the other listeners gazed at Augustus and his sleeping family in admiration. They could not help but admire Lily's rescue work of so many birds as well as hide them right up until her capture by some of Cicatriz's spies who had discovered her hideout. It truly was an intrepid feat and she was to be remembered by future generations, both of birds and the flying foxes that had been against the colony's teachings about the birds of the Amazon.

 **Later**

The storm lasted until after dark, the rain continuously beating down onto the rainforest and winds gusting through the trees but eventually, the storm clouds cleared and parted and with them, the rains and the winds which died down. As the storm clouds parted, a starry sky became visible. As soon as they had noticed the weather improve, the birds and the allied flying foxes prepared to leave their temporary shelters and return to their homes. The main battlefield fighters had visited the ravine where the evacuees were and were reunited with their loved ones and other evacuees. During this, the news of those who had died, such as Flavio, was also delivered and the evacuees and the other birds with them such as Rudi and Valeria, who hadn't been there when Flavio breathed his last due to a crisis, stopped to pay their respects to those birds. After this, the main battlefield fighters were all congratulated in their efforts and Marcus's group thanked dearly for helping in the war, and Augustus and his family were also congratulated in their efforts as well. After their reunion, the bird tribes, clans and smaller groups prepared to return to their rightful homes. However, the blue-throated macaws and the Lear's macaws remained with the Spix macaws for there was uncertainty about their home grove and ravine and the possibility of some flying foxes still present in those habitats. To solve this, Jewel had organised a group of patrollers with Reynaldo, Sapphire and Mercury, Felipe and Alonso to send to the areas and check whether it was safe for the Lear's macaw tribe and blue-throated macaw clan to return to them or not.

While all the birds that did not belong to the Spix tribe's ravine continued their preparation to leave and the patrol groups set up, Ganymede sat perched on a rock close to the shore of the ravine pool, watching everyone else as they bid their friends goodnight and left. It was night time, the partly cloudy sky hovering above the ravine and trees and a crescent moon just visible above the treeline. Ganymede gazed at Mimas as she helped her siblings Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus, along with their father Saturn and friends Brooke, Bastian and Porthos, help some parents move some of the vine and stick bags containing eggs and very young chicks too young to fly out of the waterfall cave, as well as young chicks able to fly, among them their younger brothers Hyperion and Gordon, and sighed. Then a vermillion scarlet macaw and his almost identical spitting image walked in.

"Are you going to help your sisters help move Amalthea and Oliver and the other chicks out of the cave, son?" asked Jupiter. Ganymede snapped out of his gaze and looked at his father.

"Oh, sorry, I was just… lost in thought," he replied. Jupiter managed a small smile and sat down beside him. Ganymede returned to gazing at Mimas.

"When this is over, we plan on starting a family," he said, "But I'm just going over everything that has happened and those that had suffered the most, especially Triton and Eustace with the loss of their eye and talon…" then something else came to Ganymede's mind as his gaze moved over to the cloud of large navy blue birds that were the hyacinth macaws as they were gathered along the other side of the ravine pool shore, Marinho talking with them. it was obvious that he was going to initiate the last surviving Bluewing macaws into his clan in obedience to his uncle's request for Ganymede could see Violeta and her sons Arlo and Vincente among the crowd. Nearby, Ganymede picked out a familiar hyacinth macaw arguing with Triton's sister, Indigo and Enceladus's mate Trixie and also with Pluto, Blueberry, Charon, Quincy, Aiden and Neytiri. Jupiter breathed a sigh as he also watched the drama next to the hyacinth macaw crowd.

"I'm afraid Penelope's refusing to accept the fact that Triton has lost sight in his left eye," he said. Ganymede gazed at Penelope, the macaw retorting to Indigo and her supporters. Was that why she stormed off into the jungle before his and his sisters and father's arrival to the hospital with some of the other birds hours ago? Ganymede had hoped that she would not go as far as rejecting Triton after what had happened. While the argument between Penelope and Indigo and the others with her continued to storm, the other hyacinth macaws kept their attention on Marinho as he, along with Neptune, continued to talk to them. Ultramarine had gone to help Indigo deal with the problem with Penelope for the arguing was beginning to distract hyacinth macaws from Marinho and Neptune's announcements. As they continued talking with the hyacinth clan, Marinho and Neptune, along with Ultramarine had managed to push aside their grief for the loss of Flavio to get the important tasks out of the way, for the grieving will have to wait.

Later, the green, blue-and-gold, red, hyacinth and glaucous macaws had left the ravine and had returned to their homes, as had the smaller groups of birds and Andromeda's clan, taking most of the stocked food with them. The Lear's and blue-throated macaws remained in the Spix tribe's waterfall cave and would return to their homes tomorrow morning to give the patrol groups plenty of time to check their homes for any flying foxes still present and so had to spend the night with the Spix macaws and also Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian and the hidden group, as they will begin their search for a new home tomorrow as well. Before leaving with Marinho's clan, Violeta, the former matriarch of the Bluewing Clan, had requested that many of the hidden group birds and allied flying foxes move into the Bluewing Clan's former grove due to so few Bluewing hyacinth macaws left. However, Augustus deemed it too disrespectful for his family to move into the grove that his own colony had captured from the hyacinth macaws but had told her to return to the Spix tribe's ravine tomorrow morning to have a proper discussion about it. Then soon, almost everyone was back in their rightful homes to spend the night. Their clean-up of the war aftermath would continue tomorrow morning.

 **Next morning**

The sun beamed down its honey-coloured shafts of light onto the rainforest below, bathing it in its warm, golden sea. The diurnal animals were waking up from their sleep to begin their morning routine. In the Spix tribe's ravine, a cloud of mostly blue, cerulean and yellow-orange birds was emerging from the waterfall cave. Among the cloud was a scatter of odd colour from Augustus, his family and the other allied flying foxes and the birds they had kept hidden all this time until the colony was shattered. After emerging from the waterfall cave and had touched down around the ravine pool, many of the Spix macaws went about to check their trees which had been ransacked by the intruding flying foxes during their search for them before Carla and company engaged them in battle.

While everyone else helped the Lear's and the blue-throated macaws prepare for their departure as soon as the patrol group Jewel and some of the others had sent out last night to check on their homes, Brisa called together Jojo, Lavender, Felix, Chilro and Ophelia while Roberto helped a Lear's macaw couple carry their clutch of two eggs in one of the vine and stick bags out of the waterfall cave. After Roberto had received thanks from the couple of Lear's macaws for his help, Brisa came over to him.

"We're going to pay the red tribe a visit to check on them," she said, "Hopefully they'll have settled back into their grove now that the war is pretty much over."

"Would you like to come with us, Dad?" asked Jojo. Roberto turned to them.

"I would love to Brisa but I'm afraid I'm needed around here to help the Lear's and the blue-throated macaws to move out of our ravine cave."

As he said this, Kira, Turquesa and Garrett came over. Although he was still able to fly, Garrett was still missing most of his tail but the feathers were now growing back and he wanted to keep up with his flying skills, not wanting to be grounded until his tail regrew.

"We're going to come with you too," said Kira.

"Yeah, we want to see how Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Alexandre, Phobos and Deimos are doing after last night," said Turquesa. Brisa smiled.

"Okay, but make sure that you stay by our side on the way," she said, before turning to Turquesa. "Does your father know you're coming with us?"

"He has granted me permission," Turquesa replied, before her gaze turned to Felix, "After all; I am his mate and your daughter-in-law now."

"So are we with Jojo and Lavender," said Garrett as Felix lovingly leaned onto Turquesa's shoulder. At this, Chilro and Ophelia looked up curiously.

"So are who?" squeaked Chilro. Roberto turned to him and smiled.

"We'll explain all this to you and your sister when you're older, son," he said, much to Chilro's disappointment. Chilro and Ophelia's eyes rolled down but then Brisa called their attention.

"Are we ready?" she asked. The two chicks looked up at her as did their older three siblings and their brother and sisters-in-law.

"Yes," said the two together. Then Travis, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Lightning, Cometa, Orion, Velocity, Diantha and Rafael and Eva came over. They, together with Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose, had spent the night in the waterfall cave as well. Nearby, Augustus was talking with Marcus for he had noted to the former about the hidden Spix, glaucous and Lear's macaw families. Not noticing the two flying foxes talk about this subject, Travis said, "We're going to come with you too."

"Yes," said Lightning, before his firm gaze turned to Velocity and Orion, "Especially after what these two have been through with your sons and daughter and Diantha as well."

"Hey, we're not chicks anymore, you know," snapped Orion in irritation.

"Yeah, but you're still our son and daughter," replied Cometa firmly. Orion and Velocity's bulbous eyes rolled. Nico, Pedro, Rafael and Eva gazed at the two young adult falcons.

"We're sorry but you've been gone for longer than you said you'd be," said Nico.

"That's why we have come here to check on you," said Pedro.

"Until we ran into those utterly insane and psychotic furry creatures with wings," added Rafael, "One of which almost fatally impaled poor Sunset with that sharpened stick thing of its."

And with that, he shot Milo and Rosa a glare. Diantha then stepped in.

"Hey, it wasn't OUR fault that those flying foxes had decided to cause trouble," she retorted, her eyes glaring at her toco toucan father, "We weren't aware of what was going on."

"That's right," said Roberto, backing Diantha up before anyone could protest, "It was just unfortunate that they had to end up involved."

"Excuse me," said Brisa impatiently, "Can we get going now?"

Flanking her, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Turquesa, Garrett, Kira, Chilro and Ophelia stood with their wings cross, their faces also laced with impatience. Roberto smiled to the group.

"You'd better be off," he said, "I can see those ten are itching to leave."

With that, the group of Spix macaws, cockatoos, falcons, canaries, cardinals and toucans turned to leave after saying goodbye to Roberto. Kira also waved goodbye to her cousins Carla, Bia and Tiago and also Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora and Músculo as they helped Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi sort through some of the ransacked trees and tidy them up.

"We'll be back in a while," she said.

"Yes, we're just going to pay Felipe's tribe a visit to see how they are this morning," added Brisa as the group took off.

"Okay, but stay safe, you lot," called Eduardo.

"Though those flying foxes are likely no longer roaming our territory now," said Jewel, "There could be predators out on their morning hunt, so be careful."

"Yes, you don't wanna run into a harpy eagle or something like that," said Bia teasingly.

"Don't worry, my niece, we're well aware of the dangers," said Pedro cheekily.

"It's not as if we're gonna find one of dem mighty birdies and challenge 'em to a fight, anyway," said Nico as he spun his trademark bottle-cap hat in his talons before placing it back onto his head.

"You'd better not," shouted Augustus firmly when he heard this, "Otherwise you'd end up killed instantly."

"He's just jokin', cutesy bat," replied Sparkle, Nico's girlfriend, teasingly while Rose, Pedro's girlfriend, flashed Augustus a cheeky smile. Augustus breathed an irritated sigh but Justin came over to him.

"Don't worry, those city birds just have a sense of humour," he said.

"Sorry but I don't like jokes involving harpy eagles," replied Augustus, "They're incredibly dangerous creatures to avoid."

Justin nodded in agreement. Then Jewel called out, "Okay, you be careful out there."

Brisa nodded with a smile and with that, she led the group towards the ravine entrance and within moments, all Carla, Bia, Tiago and their friends saw was a flash of black as Rafael, Eva and Diantha left the ravine last.

"Well, I look forward to hearing from them once they return from visiting Felipe's tribe," said Carla to the others who smiled. Then the group returned to tidying the ransacked trees with Eduardo, Jewel, Mimi and some of the other birds. Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia, together with Kira, Garrett, Turquesa, and Travis, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Nico, Pedro, Sparkle, Rose, Rafael, Eva, Diantha and Cometa and her family then disappeared into the trees in the direction of Felipe's tribe's territory, glowing smiles on their faces. However, they were unaware that they were being watched. As they passed by a tree with large leaf clusters, a pair of wicked eyes, one faded and cloudy similar to Cicatriz's blind right eye, followed the group of birds from the shadows of the leaf cluster as they passed by. With the owner of the pair of eyes, some more evil eyes glowed menacingly in the other leaf clusters' shadows and also watched the birds as they disappeared into the trees. Then the first pair of eyes gazed at the other pairs of eyes and a snake-like voice sounded from their owner.

"Time to avenge Cicatriz and our colony, my friendssssss," it hissed. Then evil titters sounded from the leaf clusters which then rustled and shuddered as a group of several creatures left their hiding places, dropped into the air and then followed Brisa's group, their massive membranous wings sweeping out like black cloaks.

 **Meanwhile, at the hospital**

Triton and Eustace sat with their backs against the bars of their cages, utter sadness and despair plastering their faces facing the floor. Their food bowls lay opposite them, the food untouched for the hyacinth macaw and cockatoo weren't hungry. As the two continued gazing down at the bedding on the floor of their cages despairingly, a blue and yellow form with a long, stitched gash on her front with another on her forehead, and her left wing in a cast, came up to them. Ceres had managed to unlock her cage door due to being used to cages and her climbed down from her cage to check on Triton and Eustace. Next to Eustace's cage, Titania was asleep. Then Ceres began to try and talk to Triton and Eustace to comfort them, being careful not to wake Titania.

"Triton, Eustace," Ceres whispered. No answer. Ceres called the two birds' names slightly louder, "Triton, Eustace."

At this, Triton's head stirred and he slowly looked up at the blue and yellow macaw standing before him, separated from her by the bars, the cage door and the tag which read his species name (English and Latin), his gender and his injury. Triton's right eye gazed at Ceres and began to ooze tears. Eustace also slowly turned and looked at Ceres.

"What do you want?" asked Triton grumpily and tearfully when his right eye landed on Ceres. Ceres remained calm.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to talk," murmured Triton and with that, his head, the left side completely covered in bandages, turning away and bowed again. Ceres tried to comfort him.

"Look, I know what happened to you and Eustace has been devastating but it's not the end of the world," she said. As she said this, Titania stirred while Lapis Lazuli looked out of her cage. Her almost naked and featherless body, which was showing signs of growing new feathers and her cuts and bruises having faded due to them in the process of healing, as well as her half-starved appearance from proper nourishment, moved as she rose to her feet to watch Ceres. When she saw that her words didn't comfort Triton, Ceres went on.

"We're going to help you adapt to living with just one eye," she said, "Neptune, Ultramarine and Indigo and our other friends and family did promise to help you with that once you are well enough to be released," said she, before turning to Eustace, "While we will help you adapt to life with just one talon."

Eustace sighed and gazed down at his single foot. Triton's right eye then flashed from despair and depression to a look of rage.

"Help me adapt!?" he snapped, making Ceres flinch, "But what about Penelope? Why didn't she come to visit and comfort me rather than just storm off and leave me to suffer the heartbreak from the loss of sight in my left eye instead!?"

Triton's right eye then hardened and his wings went to the bandage concealing the horrific injuries on the left side of his face to untie it. At this, Ceres began to protest.

"Triton," she said, "Triton, don't!"

As she protested, Lapis Lazuli undid the bolt-slide lock, a skill Pluto had taught her at some point during their time together, opened the door, and climbed out using her beak and talons. As she touched down onto the floor, she walked over to Triton who had by now undone his head bandage. After this, Triton glared at Ceres.

"Not to mention THIS disfiguring mess I am going to have to live with," he growled. Ceres and Lapis Lazuli, together with Eustace, gazed at what Triton was talking about.

Most of the entire left side of Triton's face was streaked with large gashes as though a cat had slashed its claws over his face. The gashes, which were now stitched up with dried blood running along with the streaks where blood had welled, spanned the entire height of Triton's face, starting from where the yellow lappet by his lower mandible was, streaking right over his cheek and ending at the very top of his forehead, slashing through the navy blue feathers on his face. But in the path of those ugly looking tracks was Triton's left eyeball, faded, damaged and clouded due to the flying fox's foot claws catching it during the bat's savage attack on him. Eustace shuddered at the damage and the disfigurement on Triton's face and covered his beak in utter disbelief.

"I'm gonna have to live with THIS!" cried Triton in a splintering voice, his right eye and his damaged left eye beginning to ooze tears and his wing pointing to the ugly injury. "How am I gonna fly around with this on show and not escape shocked and horrified glares from insensitive strangers when I get out of here?" Triton then began to cry, one or two sobs escaping his beak as the devastation pushed his emotions to breaking point. Lapis Lazuli, at this, tried to calm him down.

"Look, Triton, there is a way to conceal that disfigurement," she said, "J-j-j-just try not to let it get to you. You're not on your own with a permanent, life changing injury you know."

Ceres then showed Triton the long, stitched streak spanning the length of her torso's left side and the other streak on her forehead.

"For example, I'm going to have to live with these scars on my forehead and body which are the result of the nightmare we blue-throated macaws had to go through during the flying foxes' siege on our habitat with the Bluewing hyacinth macaws," she said, before nodding to Eustace, "And so will Eustace with his missing left talon, and also Flor and Victor who have also got horrible wounds that were likely to scar," she turned and nodded to the sleeping forms of Victor, who was in his cage next to Virgil and Blu, and Flor before turning back to Triton, "so you're not on your own…"

"Not to mention the severe mental scars I, along with Ruby, Alfonso, Nuvem, Waldo, Ted, Esmeralda and Orquidea have suffered as a result of that torture we had to endure in those horrible bats' territory when they interrogated us," put in Lapis Lazuli firmly. "And besides that, what you have suffered is nothing compared to what we, the kidnapped macaws and also Ceres's clan, had to go through."

"That's right, not to mention the horror of the massacre Enceladus and Trixie had to deal with since they were on a night out at the time of the flying foxes' invasion on the homes of the blue-throated macaws and the Bluewing hyacinth macaws," added Ceres. Triton continued gazing at them, his expression unchanged, tears flowing from his remaining eye and clouded eye and trickling down his cheeks. Eustace, his mood having been lifted by Ceres and Lapis Lazuli's words, then undid the bandages concealing his lower body and brushed them off from his lower half to show Triton his missing talon.

"Look at this, Triton," he said. At this, Triton turned and gazed with his right eye at Eustace's lower body. The majority of Eustace's plumage was slashed with half-healed gashes and scratches, some that required stitching but then Triton saw a small stump next to Eustace's right talon, where the left talon had been amputated from the end of the stump downward.

"This is the result of trying to protect Flor and some other macaws from certain gruesome death at the clutches of that savage furball with wings," said Eustace gesturing to the stump that remained of his left talon, "But in the process, he completely mangled my left talon which was so badly damaged that it had to be removed by the surgeons. But had I not protected Flor," he nodded to the sleeping sea green glaucous macaw in the cage across the room, "She would have died." He then picked up the bandages and retied them around his lower body, concealing the damage once again. "You sacrificed an eye to save the three offspring of the flying fox who helped you birds so much," Eustace continued, "Including Clemont and my girlfriend Serena who would have died along with a few other macaws during a violent confrontation with those savage bats."

When Eustace mentioned the word 'girlfriend', Triton felt his heart lurch and he slumped down in his cage, more intense sobs beginning to escape his throat. Eustace's eyes flashed with guilt. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that word. Triton then retied the bandage around the left side of his face and continued to sob.

"Please, leave me alone, all of you," he wailed to Eustace, Ceres and Lapis Lazuli, before finally launching into an uncontrollable bout of crying and wailing, his body rocking with each sob and his face in his wings, as the volcano of emotions from the devastation finally erupted. The three exchanged glances and then backed away, granting Triton's request. Ceres and Lapis Lazuli continued to watch Triton sob his heart out while Eustace looked on, guilt lacing his face. It was indeed a heart-wrenching scene to watch but then something else came to Ceres's mind.

"I hope Penelope is ready to accept the disfigurement Triton will have to bear for the rest of his life," whispered she worriedly. It was then that Lapis Lazuli noticed a flash of navy blue hovering at the window. At this, she turned and saw a familiar female hyacinth macaw Triton's age perched on the sill of the open window, her eyes gazing at Triton. At first, Lapis assumed that the gaze was laced with sympathy but when she looked closer, she realised that the gaze had quite the opposite, and that made her flinch with utter disgust.

Penelope remained perched there for another minute, her disgusted gaze on Triton. She had been there the whole time and had seen the disfigurement and blind eye Triton had shown to Lapis Lazuli, Eustace and Ceres during their conversation but rather than flinch in horror and disbelief at Triton's injury, she instead flinched in utter revulsion. With that word, along with disgust, still plastering her face, leaving no room for any sliver of sympathy for the distressed Triton, the young female hyacinth macaw turned and abandoned her perch, a navy blue blur flapping off into the jungle.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47- one last remnant of Cicatriz's colony**

Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Turquesa, Garrett, Chilro and Ophelia, together with Cometa, Travis and their families and friends continued flying through the trees in the direction of the red tribe's territory. They were close to entering the Brazil nut grove and the red/Spix border and as they reached the grove's outskirts, the group increased in altitude to avoid flying under the Brazil nut clusters.

A little while later, Kira's eyes landed on some familiar red forms with blue or teal and green wings, three of which were unusually small for their species.

"I think that's Mars's family over there," she said to the others. Brisa followed Kira's gaze until it landed on the group of familiar green-winged macaws over the border.

"Yep, it's Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Gabrielle and Estelle," she said.

"An' it looks like they're enjoyin' some Brazil nuts," said Pedro the cardinal cheekily. Lightning then smiled as he flew alongside Cometa, Orion and Velocity.

"Well, you birds go ahead while we hunt for some prey to catch for breakfast," he said.

"There's plenty of capybaras and tapirs on the forest floor," said Jojo, "Just be aware of the Brazil nuts while you're down there."

"They've been known to be fatal to humans if they land on their heads," said Felix.

"We're aware of the hazard already, thanks," said Cometa and with that, she called Velocity and Orion and soon, the four falcons had split from the others.

"Tell Mars and his family we send our greetings," said Lightning as the four peregrines disappeared through the canopy.

"We will," said Travis as he flew at the back of the group.

"Enjoy your hunt," said Milo but the falcons were out of earshot to hear him. Clemont gazed after them.

"I'm pretty sure they'll be looking forward to hunting some proper prey when we return to Rio," he said.

"Like pigeons and ducks," said Serena.

"I've overheard them talk about that before we left the Spix macaws' ravine actually," said Rafael. He then breathed a happy sigh as he gazed at Eva. "Well, when we get back to Rio, I'm gonna have some luurrrve time with my beautiful mango Eva," he crooned lovingly with his equally loving gaze on Eva who smiled. This was met by lines of glares converging on them from the others, especially from Travis, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena. Diantha, meanwhile, felt slightly nauseated at her parents' loving glare at each other.

"You mean having more kids," muttered Brisa with a frown.

"Haven't you got enough already?" asked Kira.

"You must already have about seventy or more, Rafy," said Pedro.

"Many of which are very naughty for one and have dozens of their own kids for another," hissed Travis under his breath scornfully. Rafael and Eva gazed back at the glares of the others.

"I'm just talking about spending some romantic time with my mate; you lot," he said, "Nothing to concern you."

"What's concerning us is the fact that you're thinking about having another brood of toucan chicks," muttered Milo slightly bitterly.

"You're actually making Mom and Dad, who cannot have another brood at all, and other bird couples with kids feel bad and small," put in Rosa as the group neared the group of green-winged macaws. Mars, Chiquitita and the others with them had already noticed the group approaching them. "There's obviously no WAY we're gonna care for that many kids…"

As she said this, Chiquitita stepped forward, Gabrielle squirming in her wings as the group touched down before them.

"Yeah, tell me about it, Rosa," she said, a glare also fixated on Rafael and Eva.

"If there are anyone on the Blu Bird Sanctuary that breeds like rabbits, it's _them_ two and most of their kids," said Mars. At this, Rafael shot the green-winged macaw a glare.

"Hey, we don't have fur and big ears and fluffy tails and go hopping around, living in burrows, and stuffing ourselves on carrots, cheeky," snapped he in irritation. Travis released a giggle at Mars's comment.

"Yeah but you still produce so many offspring like those mammals," said Phobos.

"With on average about four to six offspring per clutch," put in Deimos.

"No wonder so many of them are naughty," said Alexandre. Estelle, Turquesa, Garrett and Kira and also Diantha, gazed at Rafael and Eva, astonished at how they could manage so many kids but they knew that when they had their own chicks, there was no way they were going to produce dozens of offspring. It would be too burdensome for one and extremely stressful for another. Diantha, however, said nothing, not wanting to offend them, especially Rafael her father.

Then moments later, the group of birds sat together next to a cluster of Brazil nuts, chatting and the macaws eating the fruit. Gabrielle, Chilro and Ophelia were a short distance away from their older siblings and parents and the other adults, playing chase.

"Don't stray too far from the group you three," called Felix as he sat with Turquesa, sharing one Brazil nut.

"Make sure that you stay within our sights and avoid flying under any Brazil nut cluster," said Lavender as she sat with Garrett. Chilro smiled back at them.

"We will," he squeaked and with that, he darted off after his sister and Gabrielle. Mars finished opening his Brazil nut after widening the hole with his beak, exposing the more edible innards of the fruit. Chiquitita sat next to him.

"You know, this brings back memories when our three sons, Phobos, Deimos and Alexandre were born back in Rio," said Mars as he began to eat the first piece of his fruit.

"When we found that we had trouble conceiving," said Chiquitita after receiving a piece of Brazil nut from Mars, "We actually thought I was infertile. The ornithologists or humans who care for and study birds believed that until I proved them wrong with a clutch of three eggs."

"Mimi told us that she cannot have kids at all," said Brisa as she ate her Brazil nut, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Kira, Garrett and Turquesa sharing two amongst themselves. Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena also had one between themselves while Travis just sat looking on with Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose.

"So she is actually completely infertile?" asked Mars in surprise.

"Yes," said Brisa, "Somehow she had inherited it from her aunt who also was unable to conceive. Eduardo, however, didn't have much of a problem."

"There's a possibility that we could be infertile, which is one of the reasons why Deimos and I don't want to find mates and have kids of our own," said Phobos.

"Besides the possibility of passing on our small size to our offspring," added Deimos before turning to Alexandre and Estelle, "Hopefully when those two have kids, they'll be of average height."

"Only time will tell," said Alexandre, "If any of our offspring are smaller than usual, then it would be no surprise since smallness is genetic in our family after all, isn't it, Mom?" he turned to Chiquitita for confirmation.

"Yes, son," said she, "And hopefully Gabrielle will be of average size when she grows up as well. Her size looks fine to me but looks can be deceiving."

"Absolutely," said Nico as he spun his bottle cap hat in one wing like a basketball. Then Brisa saw a cluster of colour wrapped in a leaf in Estelle's wings.

"I see," she said with a smile, "I believe that is from your boyfriend, is it not?"

"It's a gift from my dear Alexandre," said Estelle, showing Brisa and the others the bouquet of flowers which was a bunch of orchids, bromeliads and jasmines, Alexandre looking on lovingly.

"It's an engagement present," said Alexandre.

"Oh, how nice," crooned Eva, "My handsome coconut Rafy sometimes gives me gifts," she then leaned lovingly onto Rafael's shoulder, "Especially when it's our anniversary of when we became mates."

Rafael draped her with a wing.

"Yup, my juicy dragonfruit," he crooned. Some of the others glared at each other and rolled their eyes while Estelle and Alexandre just looked at each other and shrugged. Then the group moved on to talk about the Amazon Pit of Games League and the possibility of it resuming after cancellation due to the flying fox situation.

Meanwhile, Chilro continued chasing Gabrielle and Ophelia, weaving in and out of the branches after them. They kept their distance from any clusters of heavy brown shelled balls that were Brazil nuts in case they might fall but as he passed each of the clusters, Chilro gazed at them longingly, wanting to open one by himself when he was old enough and his beak strong enough to break the tough shells of the fruit. Pulling his gaze from one of the Brazil nut clusters, he continued chasing his sister and Gabrielle.

"I'm gonna get you, you two," he called which was replied to with two mischievous giggles from two female chicks. Ophelia then shot out from under him from some branches, much to his surprise.

"You'd better pick up speed then, bro," called she as a red comet followed her. Chilro then darted off after the two as they laughed and giggled as kids did when they played. The three remained within sights of the older birds who were a few metres away but the three chicks were unaware that they were being watched. Gabrielle and Ophelia darted into a leaf cluster, giggling, and disappeared from sight, making Chilro stop into a hover and gaze this way and that, flummoxed. He shook his head to shift some of the feathers of his mop-like crest feathers which strongly resembled that of his father and also his brother Jojo but with a purple tint to them, out of his face and began to look around for Ophelia and Gabrielle. However, he was unaware that the two girls were watching him from an above leaf cluster. Their faces were laced with mischief as they prepared to jump onto Chilro to playfully attack him. But another watcher also watched Chilro as he hovered before the leaf cluster in which the girls had dived into, also watching from a leaf cluster of a nearby tree. Unlike the eyes of the two girls, the eyes of the creature were laced with pure sadism and evil as they watched the Roberto lookalike hover and search for his sister and Mars and Chiquitita's daughter. The creature then began to make its move.

Chilro continued hovering before the clusters of leaves, shooting gazes this way and that to look for any flash of dark blue and red, unaware that the two birds were above him. A mischievous smile came upon his beak.

"I know you're somewhere in there, sis and Gabby," he said cheekily, "I saw you two dive into that tree."

Gabrielle and Ophelia then gazed at each other and smiled mischievously, before preparing to ambush Chilro from above. However, before they could do that, something made them froze in horror. Chilro continued searching for his sister and Gabrielle, unaware that a massive flying creature around six times his size was swooping towards him from behind. Then before the young Spix chick knew it, a massive membranous wing swooped in and swiped him hard, sending him careening towards a branch. Chilro screamed in utter shock and pain as he landed hard on his front onto the bark of the arm ending in twigs and leaves but before he could get up, a foot with toes ending in claws slammed onto his back, drawing the breath out of him. However, the foot was not a bird's talon. Chilro was about to let loose a scream but a wing of skin came over his beak.

"Don't you dare screech your beak out, you feathered insect," hissed the creature, sending chills down Chilro's spine and making his head feathers spike out. His pale blue eyes timidly rolled up to the face of the owner of the voice as it continued, "You're coming with me."

Chilro shuddered and could not scream with the wing of skin over his beak. However, behind the huge creature pinning Chilro down, Ophelia and Gabrielle did it on his behalf and let loose an ear-piercing screech together to alert the adults, jolting the enormous furry creature into flinching and shooting them a surprised glare. The screams travelled through the air and reached the adults' ears, jolting them out of the conversation. On the forest floor, Cometa, Lightning, Orion and Velocity, having just finished feasting on a young tapir piglet they had managed to kill and haul out of a tapir's burrow while the mother was away, shot dreaded gazes through the canopy above them, having heard the screams as well.

"Sounds like trouble," said Lightning. Brisa, Mars and the others then snapped their gazes in the chicks' direction in horror and dread.

"CHILRO, GABRIELLE, OPHELIA!" cried Brisa and with that, she abandoned her perch and Brazil nut and lofted into flight. Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Garrett, Turquesa, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle and Mars, Chiquitita, Rafael, Eva, Diantha, Nico, Pedro, Rose, Sparkle, Travis, Clemont, Rosa, Serena and Milo all lofted into flight and charged towards the screams' source.

"I hope it's not what I think it is," cried Mars as he feared the worst. As the group charged on, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Garrett and the smaller birds lagging behind due to their size and in Garret's case, his still growing tail, the area where the three young chicks were soon came into view but as soon as it did, something horrifying made the group brake into a hover abruptly. Their beaks dropped open and their eyes inflated in their sockets. Jojo and Felix's crests and Lavender's ponytail flared out while Travis, Rosa, Milo, Clemont and Serena's crests fanned fully upward and Rosa emitted a short and piercing scream. Chiquitita and the other smaller birds then caught up and when they saw what the others saw, Chiquitita drew in a sharp, horrified gasp. At the same time, Lightning, Cometa, Orion and Velocity exploded from a cover of leaves and also braked to a halt when they saw what Mars's group saw. Then it was Mars's group's turn to panic as several more forms with membranous wings emerged from some nearby trees and rushed towards them, tough green tendrils hanging from their foot claws.

One of the tendrils flew over Jojo's head and tightened itself around his neck, cutting off his breathing, much to the others' alarm.

"JOJO!" cried Kira as she watched her new mate struggle to loosen the vine's grip around his throat. Then Brisa, Lavender and Felix, the instinctive urge to rescue their son/brother taking control, lurched at the owner of the tendril with Garrett, Kira and Turquesa while Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle lurched at Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia's attacker but before any of them could make contact with the furry creatures with wings, more furry creatures rushed in and attacked. Soon, a small fight erupted in the air as the group found themselves under attack from the group of around a few dozen furry creatures. Nico, Pedro, Rose and Sparkle, Travis, Cometa, Lightning, Rafael and Eva all dived into a cluster of leaves, commanding Rosa, Milo, Clemont and Serena, Orion, Velocity and Diantha to do the same and stay with them for many of the creatures were also armed. As this group continued watching the skirmish in horror, Clemont immediately recognised one of the furry creatures as he brutally subdued Lavender and Garrett before tying them up. Lavender, her eyes blazing pale blue flames, screeched loudly and tried to slash her attacker but the attacker dodged and stomped a foot onto her neck while another pointed the sharpened end of a stick to her neck while two more tied her and Garrett up.

"I-I-I thought all the colony flying foxes had surrendered yesterday," Clemont cried.

"Then why are some of them still on the loose?" asked Orion. Then Brisa flashed the group a look.

"Get help, QUICKLY!" she managed to screech before a vine tendril came over her head and tied up her beak, cutting off her talking. Rafael and Eva then watched Mars as he managed to escape with Chiquitita's help and rush off in the direction of Felipe's tribe's territory, before Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle, along with Chilro, Ophelia and Gabrielle were subdued and tied together. Rafael immediately knew what they should do.

"We'd better get help as well," he said firmly. At this, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle, Rose, Eva and Diantha took off after Mars.

"We'll help Mars while you get some of the Spix macaws, especially Roberto and also Augustus," cried Eva as they left.

"Come on, guys," cried Travis and without another second's hesitation, the rest of the group abandoned their hiding place and raced off for the Spix tribe's ravine. Velocity flashed a glance back at Brisa and company as they struggled in the clutches of the furry creatures but a flash from Brisa's face demanded that she leave and get help. Then a talon latched onto her wing, making her jump.

"Come on, daughter, let's get moving!" cried Cometa. Velocity obeyed and rushed off after the others. Then moments later, there was silence in the clearing as Brisa's group, now tied up, was hauled away by the group of flying foxes. However, as their kidnappers hauled them away, Estelle, who had managed to keep hold of her bouquet of flowers the whole time, cleverly left a trail of petals by picking them from the flowers with her tied up talons and dropping them at regular intervals as she was hauled away last, her kidnapper failing to notice her actions. She hoped that when Mars and the others had sought help, they'd see this trail and follow it.

"Augustus is gonna go berserk when he hears about this," said Rosa as she flew along.

"Just let's get back to the Spix macaws' ravine," snapped Travis as the group vanished into the trees.

 **A little while later, back in the Spix tribe's ravine**

Roberto, Jewel, Zephyr and Venus were talking to the patrol group that had gone to the blue-throated macaw clan's home grove and the Lear's tribe's ravine while Augustus assisted some of the Spix macaws in tidying their trees.

"Absolutely no sign of any of those flying furballs in both habitats, Jewel," said one of the green macaws, Lewin as he stood with his near-identical twin brother Luis.

"It seems like they have definitely abandoned the lands they had invaded after the war had ended yesterday," said one of the blue-throated macaws with a smile, the first one he had managed since the invasion by the flying foxes on his clan and the Bluewings' territory, "Looks like it's safe for us to return to our rightful homes."

"That's good," said Jewel with a smile.

"What we'll do is we'll send out regular patrols to your home area in the coming days to further check for any flying foxes just to further confirm the report," said Zephyr, "Hopefully it stays that way."

"Same with the Lear's tribe's ravine," said Venus, before her gaze turned to Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan, "since they almost faced what the glaucous macaws almost faced many years ago."

"They're so glad that they're returning to their ravine," said Luis, "It is their tribal heirloom after all."

"Passed down over the generations since their ancestors had settled there," said another green macaw, a military female. The others nodded in agreement. Then Augustus came in.

"That's good to hear that the flying fox colony has abandoned those two home patches," he said, "Hopefully…"

But before he could finish, the sounds of frantic wing flaps reached the group's ears, accompanied by the shouting of Jewel, Roberto and Augustus's names. At this, the group turned and saw a group of cockatoos, falcons and a toco toucan rocket in, their faces laced with alarm. Melissa saw them and began to comment on their terrified appearance.

"Looks as though those city birds have seen something horrifying," she said. As Rafael, Travis, Lightning and the others crash landed before Jewel and the group and began to puff and pant, Augustus stepped forward.

"What's all the hurry?" he asked. Some of the others and the surrounding birds nearby, among them Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Músculo, Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora, Mimi and Eduardo, all came round as Rafael's group continued taking a minute to get their breath back. Then Rafael spoke but nothing could prepare the listeners, especially Roberto, Jewel and Augustus, for what came out of his big orange beak.

"Flying fox attack!" he blurted out, "A group of armed flying foxes has suddenly come upon us and have captured Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chiquitita and the others including the three chicks!"

At this, horror tore through the group and Carla and company, as well as Mercury and his family, flinched and drew in sharp gasps while Roberto flinched harshly, his crest feathers spiking out for Brisa was his mate and Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia were his children and also the cousins of Justin and his siblings. One of the other macaws, Kira was Carla, Bia and Tiago's cousin while Brisa was also Zephyr's sister. Melissa shot Augustus a disbelieving look.

"Don't tell me that some of Cicatriz's minions are still at large are they?" she asked. Augustus didn't answer her and glared at Rafael, Cometa, Lightning, Orion, Velocity, Travis, Rosa, Milo, Clemont and Serena and commanded, "Take us there AS FAST AS YOU CAN RIGHT AWAY!"

Rafael and the others nodded and lofted into flight. Augustus and Melissa promptly followed them and they were subsequently followed by Jewel, Venus, Zephyr, Roberto, and Maximillian (for Turquesa was his daughter) and also Carla, Bia, Tiago and some of the others including Sebastian, Stella and Luna.

"We're going too," cried Sebastian as he latched onto Carla's talon and whisked away, Stella and Luna latching onto his feet. Marcus and some of the hidden group also followed, wanting to help. As the group left on this emergency rescue, Jewel shot Eduardo and Mimi a look.

"Look after everyone else while we deal with this problem, Dad!" she called. Eduardo nodded and replied, "You be careful out there!"

Mercury then proceeded to follow but Sapphire and Monique, fearing for his safety, blocked his path. As Jewel's group left the ravine and raced into the outside jungle, Zephyr cried, "Who else is captured?"

"Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Gabrielle, Alexandre and Estelle," replied Rosa.

"Oh, that's Mars's entire family!" cried Venus in horror.

"Mars has managed to escape and has left for Felipe's tribe's grove to warn him and get help," said Milo, "Eva, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle, Rose and Diantha have gone after him to help."

"Did you recognise any of those rogue flying foxes?" demanded Augustus. Clemont shot him a dreaded look. He did not want to mention the name of one of the bats he had seen, especially when Roberto was around. Putting aside the question, Augustus commanded the group to hurry and the group accelerated through the trees.

The news of Brisa and company's capture had reached the ears of Felipe through Mars, Diantha, Eva and the small birds and immediately, Felipe had called together some of the scarlet and green-winged macaws, among them Jupiter and Pearl, and had charged off after Mars and company but not before commanding his inner circle birds to look after the red tribe and the other non-tribe and clan birds while he was away. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, together with Sheldon and Byron, also followed despite Jupiter's commands to stay behind for their safety but he ultimately relented.

 **Some time later**

Travis, Cometa, Rafael and company led Jewel, Venus, Zephyr, Roberto, Augustus and their group to the spot where Brisa, Chiquitita and the others had been and where their capture had taken place. They were met by a group of scarlet and green-winged macaws, among them Mars accompanied by Eva, Nico, Pedro, Rose, Sparkle and Diantha and also Felipe, Pearl, Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. As the two groups met, Felipe explained to Jewel's group.

"Mars told us what happened," he said, "So we've come to help."

"This is where we witnessed Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Garrett, Turquesa, Kira, Chilro, Ophelia and also Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle and Gabrielle get captured by those flying foxes," explained Orion.

"Many of those bats were armed with sharp-sticks as well," added Milo. At this, Augustus and Melissa exchanged horrified glances between each other and also Marcus.

"Definitely sounds like a group of flying foxes from Cicatriz's destroyed colony," said Augustus suspiciously. "We need to find them right away and rescue their captured victims before they do them any harm."

"Did you guys see where those bats had left?" asked Melissa. Travis was about to reply when Bia saw some colourful specks lying on some of the branches of the trees. When she examined the specks closer, she saw that the specks formed a trail and that trail continued from one tree to the next. Bia also saw that the specks were fragments of flower petals.

"Hey, guys, look, there's a trail of flower petals leading that way," she called, pointing to the trail as the others gathered round to see it. Mars immediately recognised the source of the flower petals.

"Those petals look like pieces from Estelle's bouquet," he said, "It appears that she has picked the petals from her flowers and left a trail for us to follow when she was whisked away with the other victims including Brisa."

"Estelle would dismantle her engagement present?" asked Io perplexed as to why Estelle would destroy a gift from Alexandre. Felipe, however, flew off after the trail.

"Never mind about that, let's follow this trail and see where those furry savages had taken those kidnapped macaws," he growled. And with that, the group began to follow the flower petal trail.

 **At this moment**

A patrol of archaeobirds on their bat-birds were on a trip to the Spix tribe's territory to help check their region of any remaining flying foxes. Among them were Eragon, Ophiuchus and Eragon's oldest son Spyro. The archaeobird clan had just moved back into their home area and were helping to check the Sanctuary de Amazon for any remaining bats as well as sort other things out now that the war was over. As they flew along on their bat-bird mounts, Spyro looked worried.

"I hope Triton's okay," he said, "His loss of an eye sure has been devastating for him."

"It's just so unfortunate that he was slashed over the left side of the face by that horrible furball with wings," said Ophiuchus sympathetically, "He's going to need all the support he'll need to help him adapt to living with half his sight once he leaves the animal care place."

Spyro and the others nodded in agreement. Spyro had not seen Triton's incident for he had remained in the waterfall cave helping to protect the evacuees from the intruding bats during the last part of the war but when he had heard what had happened to Triton and also Eustace and several other birds, he had been horrified. While Spyro thought about Triton and the others at the hospital, Eragon's keen ears picked up something. At this, he stopped the group with a command.

"What is it?" asked a female archaeobird named Agitha, the discoverer and inventor of the Cegador Powder bombs. Eragon's wing claws darted out in a 'be quiet' gesture as he began to listen to the faint sounds coming through the trees. The other archaeobirds also began to listen.

"Sounds like someone laughing," said Ophiuchus as he listened. The look on Eragon's face, however, began to morph into one of suspicion.

"It is someone laughing but it's not the sound of light-hearted laughter," he said firmly. The other archaeobirds shot him a surprised look.

"It's not, Dad?" asked Spyro. Eragon then turned to some of the other archaeobirds and said, "You lot take Spyro back home and call for reinforcements while Ophiuchus, Agitha and I go and investigate. I smell a lizard around here."

"Aww, but can I come?" asked Spyro but Eragon shook his head.

"No, son," he said, "It might not be safe. You leave with the others."

Spyro breathed a sharp sigh of disappointment and reluctantly followed the other archaeobirds on his bat-bird while Eragon, Ophiuchus and Agitha departed to follow the suspicious sounds.

"We'll return with backup as soon as we can," said one of the archaeobirds as he led Spyro home. Eragon nodded and disappeared into the trees with his bat-bird and his friend and brother-in-law on their bat-birds as well.

 **Meanwhile**

Brisa continued struggling fiercely in her binds as a large flying fox continued carrying her away, angry grunts muffled by the vine binding her beak shut emanating through her nostrils. Around her, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Garrett and Turquesa, Chilro, Ophelia, Chiquitita, Alexandre, Phobos, Deimos, Gabrielle and Estelle, also bound, continued to be carried by their captors while the other flying foxes who did not carry a bound bird continued examining the surroundings for any flash of colourful feathers in the trees, their weapons such as sharp-sticks poised for attacking. The flying foxes were also gloating evilly and talking about a variety of wicked things which sent shivers down the macaws' spines. Chiquitita winced when she heard her kidnapper mention something about Cicatriz and Iracebeth and also the flying fox colony. The flying foxes were indeed gloating and continued talking as they continued taking their kidnapped birds away while some of the others continued to watch the surroundings. However, none of them noticed Estelle continue to lay a trail of flower petals from her bouquet of flowers as the bats continued flying along and Estelle was particularly careful in keeping her actions out of the bats' sight, stopping each time one of the kidnappers looked her way before continuing again once the kidnapper turned his or her face away to continue examining the surroundings.

"This way," Estelle heard the ringleader of the gang say and soon, she found her surroundings curve as the kidnappers turned a corner but she still continued picking petals from her flowers and dropping them with her bound talons, worried and hopeful eyes on the jungle behind the kidnapper group. The petals danced through the air and landed gently onto either a branches of the passing trees or through the gaps in the canopy. Estelle's eyes then travelled to the environment below the group and when they saw a rushing stream, she shuddered as recognition took hold. She knew that this part of the stream was home to some of the most dangerous water creatures in the sanctuary, and the flying foxes were following it. Estelle daren't think what the flying foxes had in mind but she continued to hope that a rescue group would follow her trail before the flying foxes planned on doing anything to the group.

Some distance behind the evil flying fox group and their kidnapped victims, Augustus and Melissa, Roberto, Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Mars, Felipe and the others including Travis, Rosa, Milo, Clemont, Serena, Orion, Velocity, Lightning, Cometa and Rafael, Eva, Diantha, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose continued following the trail of discarded flower petals. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Músculo, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora and Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon, Byron, Sebastian, Stella and Luna flew mostly at the front. Sheldon and Io touched down to examine one of the petals which they recognised as a bromeliad petal.

"This trail of petals has definitely been laid down by someone," said Sheldon to the others, "There's no way these could have been laid down by accident."

"Of course these hadn't been laid down by accident," said Bia, "By my calculations, the chances of an accidental trail like this all the way up here would be almost zero."

Felipe, Augustus and Jewel slowed the group to a hover to examine the trail's direction.

"It's leading to over there," said Felipe, a talon to more petal pieces on more tree branches in the distance. As Felipe examined the trail, the group was greeted by a voice.

"Hi, you lot," it said. At this, Felipe and Jewel's groups turned and saw three archaeobirds on three bat-birds emerge from a gap in the trees, much to their surprise.

"Eragon, Ophiuchus, Agitha?" asked Jewel.

"What are you three doing here?" asked Zephyr. Venus, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Músculo, Carla, Bia, Tiago hovered around her. Then the trio of archaeobirds came forward.

"We heard suspicious talking and laughter through the trees and had decided to follow it," explained Eragon. He then examined the group of mostly macaws. "And I assume you lot have seen or heard something suspicious as well, haven't you?"

"Mars, the falcons, the toucans, canaries, cockatoos and cardinals have reported to us of a kidnapping of some Spix and red macaws by some flying foxes who we believe to be the last of Cicatriz and Iracebeth's shattered colony," explained Roberto, "They are my and Mars's family and we're trying to find those kidnappers and rescue those macaws before it is too late."

Horror flared up within Eragon, Ophiuchus and Agitha but before any of them could ask, Venus interrupted.

"However, we have found a trail of flower petals which we assume was laid down by one of the kidnapped macaws," she said, gesturing to the trail of specks of colour leading through the trees, "And we're following it now."

"We believe that my soon-to-be daughter-in-law has done that to help us find them," said Mars. The three archaeobirds turned and saw the trail of flower petals and then turned back to the group of mostly Spix and red macaws.

"Right, let's follow that trail," said Eragon firmly, "I have sent our patrollers back to our home to call for reinforcements in case we run into a group of armed flying foxes but in the meantime, let's find those kidnapped victims and their kidnappers on the double!"

And with that, the group resumed their following of the petal trail.

The petal trail continued through the tops of the trees through which a rushing stream ran. Jupiter shuddered at the stream below but it was not just from his near death ordeal in one, twice, but because he knew this part to be filled with dangerous water predators.

"That's the Stream of Crocodiles," he said, "It's infamous for being the home of quite a few crocs and other water predators."

"Not to mention piranhas," said Ganymede as he and his sisters flew alongside him.

"Never mind about that stream," said Jewel, "Let's just stay focussed on finding Brisa, Chiquitita and the others."

The others obeyed and continued. Then after a few more minutes of flying, Agitha who flew at the front on her bat-bird thought she saw a flash of colour through a gap between two large trees.

"Wait, I think I can see some Spix and red macaws," she said. At this, the group stopped and began to gaze at the spots of colour. Roberto, Zephyr, Venus, Jewel, Mars and Augustus squinted to make out the colourful shapes. After identifying the forms, Augustus gave the confirmation.

"They ARE," he said. Then suddenly, the sounds of frantic flapping feathered wings filled his ears as Roberto, Zephyr, Venus and Mars, along with Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Músculo, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, and Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon and Byron and also Jupiter and Felipe, rocketed forward. The others were forced to follow as these macaws exploded through the gap and made a beeline towards the spots of colour which were indeed a group of Spix and red macaws.

"Guys, WAIT!" cried Augustus as he flapped his wings hard to catch up to the leaders. As the red and blue forms melted into view, Roberto immediately recognised the Spix macaws.

"Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender!" he cried, "Chilro, Ophelia, Kira, Garrett, Turquesa!"

"Chiquitita, Gabrielle, Phobos, Deimos, Estelle, Alexandre!" called Mars. At this, the fifteen macaws, upon hearing two familiar male voices call their names, turned and saw Mars and Roberto shoot towards them. The fifteen macaws were completely bound, their wings tied to their sides, their beaks shut and their feet together by vines. Another piece of vine suspended them from an outstretched branch and above a pool in which the stream emptied. Brisa emitted a muffled "Roberto!" from her bound beak as she saw her mate shoot towards them, while Chiquitita emitted Mars's name in a muffled voice. Behind Mars and Roberto, the others, especially Jewel, Zephyr, Venus, Felipe, Augustus and Melissa, gazed at the bound macaws in horror. However, there wasn't a moment to waste.

"Let's rescue those macaws and get out of here," commanded Augustus. However, the group was in for a horrifying shock. As Roberto and Mars neared the bound Brisa, Chiquitita and the others, the two abruptly braked and froze in horror. Roberto's crest spiked out and the eyes of both macaws bulged in their sockets, and their beaks dropped open. A group of furry forms had emerged from behind some leaves and had come to guard Brisa and company, sharp-sticks and other weapons held in their wings, their eyes glazed with pure malice. Then the others all gathered round and when they saw the creatures, they also abruptly braked into a hover. Jewel and Augustus were utterly flabbergasted.

"It's just as I thought," growled Eragon, his eyes blazing with pure rage.

"Oh, apples and pears," shouted Jupiter.

"It CAN'T BE!" cried Jewel.

"But how!?" cried Augustus. Carla, Bia and Tiago, together with Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Músculo, Sebastian, Stella and Luna, and Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon and Byron, hovered there in disbelief. Velocity, Orion, Milo, Rosa, Diantha Clemont and Serena swayed as though they were about to faint and Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose hid behind an equally stunned Travis, Cometa, Lightning, Eva and Rafael as the wicked flying foxes continued piercing them with evil gazes. Maximillian gazed at Turquesa as she struggled in her bounds while Felipe and Pearl were utterly lost for words. However, something else was about to add more fuel to the flames of horror and make them flare higher. Venus just happened to turn her shocked gaze to the left and as soon as her gaze landed on a certain hulking flying fox, an extremely ear-piercing scream of horror erupted from her beak. At this, the others turned and when they saw the flying fox as well, they all winced in immense terror. Roberto especially winced and his head feathers spiked out like a startled porcupine's spines the moment his blue eyes landed on a massive bundle of fur, wings and muscle, his brown fur crisscrossed with scars, infected wounds and his malice filled eyes, one of which had a massive partially scarred and horribly infected scratch below it from a talon mark where Ophiuchus had slashed his sickle-like claw across the flying fox's face during the group's rescue of Lapis Lazuli and the other prisoners.

Voldemort stood on a branch, several flying foxes including Ratigan flanking him, his gaze which was far more acidic and toxic than any snake venom, piercing the group.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48- final faceoff with Voldemort**

Voldemort bore an even uglier and more hideous appearance than before. The most recent wounds he had received, including the scratch right across his right cheek where Ophiuchus had clawed him in the face, had become severely discoloured and infected. Before, the gashes had been fresh and pink-red but now, they were a set of sickening green-yellow crust-edged lines slashing thorough the bat's face and body fur. A pale yellow liquid oozed out at various spots of some of these disgusting gashes and gave off a pungent stench of rotting flesh. It appeared that Voldemort had picked at the wounds when they tried to heal and had got them infected to make him appear more hideous but Jewel and company knew that it was a bad idea for that could lead to further complications but Voldemort didn't care one bit. The appearance of the infected wounds and their stench was enough to make the group, especially Augustus and including Lightning, Velocity, Orion and Cometa despite their carnivorous nature due to them being falcons, wince and make their stomachs threaten to eject the most recent meals they had eaten, and Orion actually rushed away to somewhere as nausea and the urge to throw up took hold. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora and Músculo, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Byron, Sheldon, Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena, along with Pearl, Zephyr and Venus, all backed away at the sight of Voldemort's scarred facewhile Eragon, Ophiuchus, Agitha and their bat-birds twisted their faces, their bat-birds reacting to the repulsive, nausea-inducing smell of Voldemort's infected wounds. Roberto, Mars, Jupiter, Rafael, Eva, Diantha, Nico, Pedro, Sparkle and Rose and Travis also wore disgusted facial expressions while Sebastian, Stella and Luna hid behind Melissa, Mars, Jupiter and Felipe, equally repulsed by the infected wounds crisscrossing Voldemort's face and torso. Furthermore, Voldemort bore a striking resemblance to Cicatriz though he still had both his eyes still functioning, unlike Cicatriz who had been blind in his left eye. Despite the difference, Voldemort still resembled the late deranged patriarch of the flying fox colony, much to Augustus's revulsion. The hulking bat's eyes were both flooded with immense malice and vengeance and his wing clutched a sharp ended stick decorated with some of the feather trophies of his previous kills he had managed to salvage and retie to his weapon.

Around Voldemort, more flying foxes also gazed at Jewel and company, their faces equally laced with pure malice, sadism and bloodlust, especially as they gazed at the gagged, bound and frightened Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Garrett, Turquesa, Chilro, Ophelia, Gabrielle, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle whose faces were flooded with immense fear, but thrown into the poisonous concoction was disbelief and shock at how the group had managed to find Brisa and the others. The bats thought they had managed to find a hiding place but that had been shattered thanks to Estelle's smart idea of laying down a trail of flower petals from her flower bouquet to guide any rescue group to here. A moment of silence hung over the two opposing groups until finally, Augustus, having enough strength to fight through the revulsion caused by Voldemort's smelly and infected wounds and his hideous appearance, broke it.

"How did you manage to survive the war and return!?" he demanded, a look of outrage plastering his face. He then gazed at Brisa and the others who were gagged, "And also, why have you got those macaws bound and dangling over a dangerous part of this stream?"

Voldemort glared maliciously at Augustus before pointing his sharp-stick at his captured victims, a sickening grin appearing on his face.

"What does it look like, you traitorous slug?" he crooned in a sickly sweet voice. Augustus shot another gaze at the tied up Brisa and the others and also at the pool below and felt dread come over him as Zephyr came forward despite being utterly repulsed by the bat's hideous appearance.

"You're gonna drown those macaws by dropping them into that pool below, aren't you!" he snarled, his blue feathers bristled and his green eyes ablaze with outrage. At this, Roberto and Mars flinched harshly while their bound families whimpered as dread tore through them. Kira flashed a terrified gaze down at the pool below and shuddered while Voldemort's grin widened all the more.

"Yup," he crooned, "But not only that…"

His grin widened into a devilish grimace dripping saliva. It was then that Velocity saw a cloud of something swirl in the pool far below. At this, the peregrine falcon descended towards the pool to get a closer look at the things while Voldemort began to explain how he and his group had escaped the war and had assembled while the birds and the allied flying foxes had begun to clean up the mess in the aftermath.

"After we heard from the majority of the flying foxes who took part in the battle that they had lost the war with you feathered rodents and saw them begin to abandon their homes and break up the colony," explained the hideous monster of a bat, "I decided to pick up where Cicatriz and Iracebeth left off. So I went round gathering as many flying foxes who still want your land together and through the night during the storm, we discussed how we were going to do just that and also avenge our fallen colony leaders…"

Augustus's outraged gaze hardened and his teeth gritted.

"Look, Voldemort," he protested, "The war is over and you flying foxes have lost the battle, fair and square. Cicatriz and Iracebeth are both dead and the rest of the colony bats have decided to split and not mess with these birds ever again," he gestured to Jewel and the others as he said this, "We're not gonna go through all that again and besides that…"

"Cicatriz and Iracebeth may have died or gone missing," snapped Voldemort wickedly, cutting Augustus off, "And you and your feathered scum friends may have won the battle but that's not gonna stop US from establishing a NEW group of flying foxes who will get revenge on you good-for-nothing birds and pick up where Cicatriz and Iracebeth left off in taking over the sanctuary."

The group all winced as Ratigan came forward. Below, Velocity had just identified the school of forms swirling in the pool's surface directly below Brisa and the others but it made her flinch harshly.

"We're gonna succeed our colony leaders, gather every single flying fox we can find and continue with the plans in driving you wastes of space out of your beloved, protected homes," snarled Ratigan, his malice-burning eyes fixated on Jewel and the others, before his eyes turned to Augustus and his family, "While any traitorous flying fox including YOU good-for-nothing quintet of pesky worms will be dealt with IN THE MOST GRUESOME WAY!"

"Exactly," shouted Voldemort, backing up Ratigan's threats, "In other words, we're gonna re-establish a new colony in place of the one Cicatriz and Iracebeth led and continue the teachings our colony has always had about you birds being to blame for all the disasters that has affected us flying foxes including logging and poaching, as well as the way of life involving teaching pups how to fight birds and kill them to earn their feathered trophies."

Evil laughs broke out among the other flying foxes; Voldemort's other minions, as they agreed with these intentions. Augustus and company, however, weren't amused. Then Roberto hovered forward, his blue eyes ablaze with infernos as they met with Voldemort's malicious glare. His crest feathers were spiked out and his entire plumage was bristled like an angry cat's fur. Mars and Jupiter came in to back Roberto up.

"I'm afraid it will NEVER HAPPEN, Scarface," Roberto snarled, "Now do us a favour and RELEASE THOSE MACAWS!"

Brisa, Chiquitita and the others gazed at Roberto and Mars as they confronted Voldemort while Augustus looked on, hoping that Voldemort would listen to Roberto's pleas to release the bound macaws. However, to his sinking heart, the wicked and bloodlust look never left the scarred bat's face.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, leaf head," crooned the evil bat wickedly, "I'm gonna have these feathered slugs being the first of our kills in our reestablishment of the new colony for one and I'm gonna I'm gonna repeat what I had done to a certain macaw many years ago for another…"

At this, horror flared within Roberto and he stiffened for Voldemort was referring to him. Roberto's eyes fixated upon the terrified Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Kira, Turquesa, Garrett, Chilro and Ophelia as they struggled in their bounds but then Roberto's mind began to erupt into turmoil as a massive torrent of flashbacks started up. Roberto stiffened and caught his breath as he envisioned himself as a young chick flying with his family through the jungle suddenly getting ambushed by a group of armed flying foxes, among them a young Voldemort. It was a completely unprovoked attack that came straight out of the blue and that family of macaws had been completely unaware of it.

Roberto winced violently as the sounds of maniacal flying fox laughter and Spix macaw screams of terror and agony, accompanied by flashes of weapons plunging into or striking blue birds, blood flying everywhere and bodies falling flooded his mind following the ambush. His body then began to enter a seizure like state as his mind then recalled seeing his father, a huge bleeding gash across his brow, under his near-identical set of head feathers with rivers of blood streaking down his cerulean face from that gash, gaze pleadingly at Roberto as a chick to flee, his eyes filled with desperation and agony. Roberto's heart rate accelerated and his breathing began to spiral out of control. His body shuddered all the more and he swayed as though he were about to faint. The others gazed at him in worry.

"Beto?" asked Jewel when she saw her friend enter a seizure-like state. Felipe, Mars and Jupiter began to protest to Roberto to snap out of his flood of memories and focus on rescuing the bound families of his and Mars's while Voldemort's grin widened into a sadistic grimace. At this moment, more archaeobirds on their bat-birds, the reinforcements Eragon had sent for, turned up.

"I can see you're beginning to be troubled by the memories of your family's demise, blue feathered worm," crooned Voldemort evilly, hoping to aggravate Roberto even more, "I remember stabbin' your beloved sisters to death, attackin' your cousins…"

"Stop it, Voldemort!" screeched Augustus but Voldemort continued pushing buttons to aggravate Roberto all the more, relishing every second of the macaw's flood of traumatising memories which continued to fuel his terror. Voldemort's minions laughed at the trembling Spix macaw as he continued to hyperventilate and sway as his world began to spin.

"Roberto!" shouted Felipe.

"Snap out of it, NOW!" barked Jupiter.

"Uncle Beto, come on!" cried Carla, Bia and Tiago together.

"You've got to get a grip, Beto!" cried Jewel, quoting her aunt's catchphrase. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Músculo, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Zephyr and Venus then began to beg Roberto to snap out of it while Voldemort continued his taunts. Cometa then came in, latched her talons onto Roberto's shoulders, being careful not to pierce his skin with her fishhook like talons and began to shake him out of the seizure like state.

"Look, I know what you've been through has devastated you but you NEED TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!" barked Cometa at the top of her voice as she continued shaking Roberto. The jolts of the falcon's grip on his shoulders and her screeches into his face were enough to pull Roberto out of the quicksand of memories somewhat but Voldemort continued his evil taunts to sink him back into the pool.

"And the funniest part of the story I believe is," his grin widened into an even more devilish grimace, Cometa turning to him with a fiery look on her face while Roberto gazed at him with a terrified face, "While you were fleein' your father and endin' up getting caught in a human's trap," he tittered as Roberto was pushed to breaking point. From under the terror, another volcanic emotion was beginning to manifest. Augustus's gaze flashed back and forth from Voldemort to Roberto as he frantically tried to plan his intervention.

"Did you end up in the hands of a cruel, cruel human when you were taken by those poachers and sold as a cutesy lil' pet and suffer torture?" crooned Voldemort childishly, his eyes narrowed in a mocking way. This added to the pressure of volcanic emotions that continued to boil under Roberto's terror, and his blue eyes morphed from a look of trauma and upset to one of fire, much to Cometa's surprise as she continued holding him by the shoulders. Voldemort then decided to overstep the mark and Jewel and company could see that.

"I'm sure that human got plenny of jo-o-o-oy in pickin' on ya," crooned the wicked bat, pushing it all the more, "Did you have to sit in a tiny lil' cage and eat those hard things humans call crackers and go, 'QUUUAAAARR… Pretty Polly'?"

His minions tittered at this remark but Jewel and some of the others shot Voldemort an enraged glare. But as for Roberto, that did it. Voldemort's snide comment about the two things he detested most finally burst the volcano of wrath. With an extremely enraged screech, the Spix macaw lost all control and thought, fiercely yanked himself out of Cometa's hold, much to the peregrine falcon's shock as she withdrew her talons and hoped that she didn't accidentally scratch him, and once he was free, Roberto surged towards Voldemort, crashing into him and knocking him off the branch. As the huge flying fox and apoplectic Spix macaw rolled along another branch in a whirlwind of brown, black and blue, the two locked in a vicious struggle, Jewel and the others charged forward to rescue Brisa and the others but were blocked by a wall of other flying foxes armed with weapons.

"Stay back, you good-for-nothing pests," snarled Ratigan, his sharp-stick pointing square at Jewel's forehead, "Or we'll skewer you."

At first, the group froze but then Mars, sandstorm-like rage billowing within him, surged forward, latched his talons onto one of the bat's sharp-sticks and yanked it clean out of its foot claws much to the bat's shock. Then Mars spun the stick and began to batter the flying fox over the head with it. While he did that, Felipe's talons went straight for another flying fox's neck but the flying fox ducked, sending Felipe flying into a cluster of leaves. Then the flying fox turned round and prepared to impale Felipe with her sharp-stick but Pearl leaped onto her back and scored her claws down it, making the flying fox scream in agony and drop her sharp-stick, much to Felipe's thankful and smug smile.

"Show her what for, my pretty Pearl," he cheered as Pearl continued mercilessly slashing the flying fox's back. Nearby, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Justin, Matilda, Charlotte, Sebastian, Stella and Luna, together with Músculo, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Sheldon and Byron surged towards Ratigan and some more flying foxes with Clemont, Rosa, Serena, Milo, Velocity and Orion while the other birds, together with Augustus, Melissa and the backup Eragon had called for attacked the other flying foxes. As Ratigan ducked Byron's slash attack, he scowled at the group.

"How did you LOT MANAGE TO FIND US!?" he bellowed as he dodged Europa's attempt to tackle him, sending her careening into another leaf cluster. Carla lashed at Ratigan and attempted to claw him across the face only for him to jerk his head back, making her talons miss his face by inches.

"How we managed to find you was through a trail one of your kidnapped victims cleverly laid down," retorted Carla smugly as she tried to scratch Ratigan again only to miss.

"Her flower bouquet came in handy and she used the petals from those flowers," Bia shouted before jerking to one side to avoid a swipe from a sharp-stick held by another flying fox before lashing her claws at it, "to create a trail for us to follow."

"Pretty smart, eh?" tittered Tiago as he tackled into another flying fox to protect Matilda.

"You didn't see that one coming did you?" sneered Tyler as he, Ricardo and Aurora chased three more flying foxes towards Ratigan, only for him to duck, dive and roll out of the way, sending the three bats crashing into a tree trunk. Ratigan then shot Estelle a flabbergasted glare as Eragon untied her bounds and freed her, and saw that she had a cluster of tattered flowers in her talons. A small petal fragment detached from one of the orchids and gently drifted away in the wind. At this, he let loose an enraged scream.

"How did we NOT SEE THAT?" he bellowed, much to the laughter of the macaws. Then Pedro and Rose appeared out of nowhere and jumped onto his face, their wings going straight to his eyes.

"You oughta ask that question about us, fur-face," sneered Pedro as Ratigan began to writhe to dislodge the cardinals from his eyes. With Pedro and Rose's wings clasped firmly over his face, Ratigan could not see anything accept darkness. With his sight blinded, the frustrated bat began to clumsily stagger about the branch. As he did, Músculo appeared and stuck his talon into Ratigan's path. Ratigan's feet snagged onto the muscular Spix macaw's leg and his upper body lost balance. Ratigan cried in surprise as he was then sent careening backward and onto the branch, his sharp-stick flying from his wings. Then after Pedro and Rose jumped off his face, another macaw talon appeared and clawed him across the chest. Ratigan let loose a loud howl of agony as Serena, Clemont, Milo and Rosa raked their claws over his torso and added four more sets of claw marks. Justin took his turn and clawed Ratigan's tummy, then Charlotte slashed his wings, followed by Matilda who inflicted Ratigan with a scratch on the cheek. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto inflicted more scratches on Ratigan while Byron and Sheldon landed more scratches onto the bat's face. After taking his turn, Sheldon shot Ratigan a smug glare.

"That's what you get for messin' with us birds, bonehead!" he sneered and with that, he took off to allow Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora to make their marks. Ratigan cried out in pain as each macaw landed a scratch on his face, chest and belly. Then after Aurora had moved away, another macaw talon appeared and clamped his throat against the branch. At this, Ratigan looked up and saw a pair of teal thunderstorms blazing at him from a cerulean face while more cerulean and blue forms, along with two grey and a few crested white forms, hovered around her. Ratigan then smiled snidely at Jewel as she kept her talon firmly on his throat.

"What are you gonna do, Spix rodent?" he crooned, his new scratches oozing blood and sending small streams of it down his face, "Are you gonna scratch me as well?"

Jewel narrowed her eyes. "Not just scratch you, you filthy ball of fur," she growled, her feathers puffed out then before Ratigan could say another word, Jewel's other talon went up, its claws flared out like a cat's claws and then without hesitation, Jewel brought it down… right across the entire width of Ratigan's face. An agonised scream erupted and blood flew in the direction of Jewel's strike much to the horror of Carla and company. Then Jewel began to savagely slash Ratigan with more claw swipes, screeching angrily. The bat writhed under the furious Spix macaw's talons in a vain attempt to escape but Jewel continued her relentless assault.

"Good grief," cried Carla at the violence. Bia, Tiago, Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora, Músculo, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, Sheldon and Byron, together with Clemont, Serena, Rosa and Milo, Orion and Velocity just looked on in utter astonishment.

"She was just like that with that horrible cockatoo Nigel," whispered Milo.

"I'm not surprised," said Bia, a frown replacing her astonishment, "Those bats have caused us an awful lot of trouble."

"Go for it, Mom!" cried Tiago as Jewel raked her claws right over Ratigan's eyes, making him screech in agony and cover his face with his wings. then after inflicting the bat with more and more savage scratches, Jewel backed away to leave Ratigan to struggle with his loss of sight and whimper with agony, puffing and panting, countless gashes weeping blood.

"Looks like he will not be going anywhere with his ruined face," said Rosa. Just then, several blue and red blurs shot over to the group.

"Carla, Bia, Tiago!" a cerulean comet rushed over to those three macaws and collided with them, locking them in a hug.

"Kira, you're alright," cried Carla as she hugged her cousin. Bia and Tiago returned Kira's hug. Nearby, Justin, Charlotte and Matilda and hugged Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia while Turquesa, Garrett, Tyler, Ricardo, Aurora andMúsculo, along with Maximillian, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Sheldon and Byron, also shared a group hug. Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Gabrielle soon joined in while nearby, Brisa and Chiquitita shared a reunion hug with Mars, Zephyr and Venus, Jewel joining the group. While the reunion went on, the fight with the remaining flying foxes continued. Sebastian, Stella and Luna were fleeing a sharp-stick armed flying fox as he continued swiping the weapon at them.

"You're that same brat who led us into that entangled humiliation during our task of hunting down those macaws yesterday," snarled the bat as he swiped his stick again at Sebastian. "Just wait until I get hold of you three…" he lashed his sharp-stick at the three albino bats and this time, it struck one of Sebastian's sisters, Stella on the back, square on the left shoulder where her wing-arm joined the body. Stella, stunned by the blow and emitting a surprised and pained shriek, then began to plummet towards the pool below much to Sebastian and Luna's horror.

"STELLA!" cried the two bats. Stella flapped and flailed as she continued hurtling through space. When Augustus, his wings wrapped around another flying fox's neck, saw his daughter plummet towards the pool, he abandoned his attack and dived down at his daughter but found himself blocked by three more mace-armed flying foxes. Augustus screamed Stella's name. Stella continued flailing and screaming as she continued to plummet towards the pool. Velocity, at this, folded her wings and dived down at the falling albino bat pup as she struggled to position her body and flap her wings to avoid plummeting into the water but the pain in her left shoulder's back was too great and it hindered her attempts to fly.

While Velocity continued diving after Stella, the others continued fighting the remaining minions of Voldemort. Lightning was thrown violently forward against a branch by a sharp-stick armed flying fox. The impact of the outstretched wooden arm to his torso drew the breath out of the peregrine falcon.

"Lightning!" cried Cometa as she attacked another flying fox. Then the flying fox advanced upon Lightning from behind, his sharp-stick poised to impale the falcon, it said, "I'm gonna make one of your feathers as part of my trophy collection."

Lightning, despite the pain in his torso, flashed a glare at the bat and moved aside as the flying fox lurched forward with its sharp-stick. The sharp-stick's point missed the falcons and jabbed in to the branch. Lightning then whirled round, lashed at the bat and slashed it across the torso with his lethal claws.

"Take THAT…" snarled the peregrine falcon as he did it, his bulbous eyes ablaze with anger, "WINGED FURRY PEST!"

The flying fox stiffened with agony from the claw gouges across its torso before losing control of his wings and plummeting towards the pool below. Velocity continued diving after Stella who was now moments away from hitting the water. Then as soon as she was close enough, Velocity swooped under Stella and caught her on her back. Her talons sliced through the water as she rescued the young bat and Velocity let loose a startled shriek as a slimy creature jumped out at her.

The creature was chubby and had a blood-red lower jaw and belly. Countless flecks of gold were sprinkled across either side of its body and its back was cloudy grey-brown but inside its mouth was a set of razor-sharp teeth. The toothed fish tackled Velocity in the side and dropped back into the water as she ascended back into the air, horrified at what sort of fish it was. Then moments later, one of the flying fox minions appeared and plummeted straight into the water, blood drops following its body. Velocity and Stella then watched in horror as the red-bellied fish went straight for the body and began to gruesomely butcher it. Velocity knew about those fish and how they were known for stripping their prey to the bone in minutes, and Stella had been told about these fish by her parents with Sebastian and Luna, and the two remembered how those fish's instinctive urge to brutally savage their prey was severely triggered whenever the smell of blood wafted into their nostrils. The water boiled and churned as the fish continued to rip apart their prey. Not wanting to watch this gruesome scene any longer, Velocity carried Stella on her back and flew back into the air.

Back in the battle cloud, Estelle and Alexandre drove some of the bats towards Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Jojo, Felix and Lavender and allowed them to viciously disarm the bats and attack them. As they helped to yank the weapons out of their enemies' wings, Estelle said, "I'm sorry to destroy your engagement present to make that trail Alex but…" she dodged a swiping membranous wing, "Our rescuers needed some sort of trail to find us."

"It's alright," said Alexandre as he struck another bat down with an uppercut, "It was an excellent idea, anyway."

"If it wasn't for you," said Phobos as he wrestled with another bat with Deimos and Chiquitita, "We wouldn't have been found."

"That's right," said Chiquitita as she slashed the bat across the face, "So you're a real genius, Estelle."

"Just like Bia and Ganymede," said Justin. Estelle smiled at the complement and continued to help attack the bats. Then Lavender jumped onto one of the bats' back and began to viciously maul it. While the inferno continued, Ophiuchus had Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia on his bat-bird at a safe distance, knowing that these macaw chicks were too young and vulnerable to participate in the fight. The three chicks watched in horror as their mother Brisa was thrown back against another branch by a flying fox. As Brisa struggled to get up, her attacker charged towards her with its mallet-like weapon ready to bludgeon her when suddenly, two blue comets charged in and tackled it away; Zephyr and Venus had appeared out of nowhere to save Brisa from getting beaten. Nearby, Rafael and Eva were swinging their massive bills to knock out more bats while Diantha, together with Nico and Sparkle bound more flying foxes with the vines they had used to bind their kidnapped macaws after Felipe and several other birds herded them together.

While Chilro, Ophelia and Gabrielle continued watching the fight, Brisa, Zephyr and Venus flew towards them and Ophiuchus with Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Justin, Charlotte and Matilda.

"Where's Roberto?" asked Brisa. Suddenly, the group heard the sounds of a violent struggle alongside extremely angry screeches, both from a Spix macaw and a hulking flying fox; explode from below the main battle cloud. Matilda's eyes caught sighted a writhing mass of blue feathers and dark brown fur on a low branch.

"There they are," she said, pointing a talon to the mass. At this, the group followed her point and saw Roberto fly from the mass, having been flung by Voldemort's powerful feet, and slam hard against a tree trunk.

"Roberto!" cried Brisa and with that, she charged forward to help him when suddenly, some more flying foxes from the main battle cloud rushed in and intercepted her, sharp-sticks pointing at her and the others.

"Oh, NO!" snarled Ophiuchus while Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia, terrified by the armed monsters of bats, cowered in his feathers while Justin, Jojo and his siblings looked on in horror. Brisa's eyes flickered from the armed flying foxes to Roberto as he struggled to his feet, several scratches slashing through his blue plumage, Voldemort advancing upon him. As Roberto stood up, dazed from the impact and stricken by the pain in his scratches, some of which were bleeding, Voldemort glared at him with an insanely murderous look on his face. When Roberto's dazed and frightened gaze met with that of the bat, horror flared within him and he backed away, crest feathers spiked out, that bloodlust gaze horribly familiar. Voldemort's devilish grimace widened for he knew what was scaring Roberto.

"Remember this look I had, leaf-headed slug," he crooned, "When I skewered your sisters and injured your father during that outing to kill some birds when I was a young bat," Voldemort's voice rose in volume until it sounded like splintering wood, pure thrill of the memory coming back when he violently killed some of Roberto's family members, "And seein' you wail in heartbreak watching your beloved relatives die in a pool of blood and subsequently your capture by those poachers, I… sure… was… the best THRILL… I… had ever… HAAAAAAAAD!" his voice rose to a high-pitched maniacal scream like a ghost and turning Roberto's blood into ice. Roberto, frightened by Voldemort's pure insanity, how he talked and his murderous gaze, spread his wings and took off. Voldemort's massive wings spread out and the hulking bat leaped off the branch like a black hawk. The sharp-stick was clutched in his foot claws and his face, which was marred by the infected wounds, particularly the one running over his blind eye, was laced with the infection of the thrill of seeing Roberto suffer. As he glided like a ghost after Roberto, Voldemort released a devilish cackle.

"An' I was so lookin' forward to killin' your mate and offspring as well," he crooned, making Roberto flashed a terrified glance at him. "I was gonna feed 'em to the piranhas in that pool below."

Roberto continued shooting Voldemort terrified glances but did not look where he was going. Brisa, Jojo, Felix and Lavender then fought past the flying foxes and rushed after Roberto, Ophiuchus on his bat-bird with Chilro, Ophelia and Gabrielle following while Justin, Charlotte and Matilda, assisted by Tyler, Ricardo and Aurora and some of Eragon's backup group coming to assist them.

Velocity continued flying upward with Stella on her back when she saw Roberto heading straight for a web of green tendrils.

"Roberto, look OUT!" cried the peregrine falcon. Roberto heard Velocity's warning and turned to look straight ahead but too late. Green strands of plant matter ensnared his wings and talons and entangled him like how human netting would a fish. Stunned, Roberto began to writhe and flail in the net of vines but only entangled himself more. Then a sequence of draughts blew his feathers as a massive furry creature slashed with infected wounds, armed with a sharp-stick and possessing massive membranous wings almost twice that of Roberto's wingspan, hovered up to the trap.

"Now, I've got you, you worthless blue-feathered worm," growled Voldemort sadistically and with that, he raised his sharp-stick and aimed it for Roberto's chest. Roberto, terrified, continued writhing helplessly in the vines while Brisa, Jojo, Felix and Lavender charged forward. Velocity, with Stella on her back, did the same.

"NOOO!" cried Brisa as she saw the hideous bat prepare to skewer her mate with his stick. Then Velocity quickly placed Stella onto a branch a safe distance from the scene and then charged towards Voldemort like a rocket, her fishhook-like talons aiming for his back.

"Velocity, NO!" cried Jojo. However, the peregrine falcon had already slammed into Voldemort's back, her talon claws piercing the skin on his back. Voldemort was violently jerked forward toward Roberto and into the net of vines, his sharp-stick careening away as he had accidentally tossed it aside. Then it was his turn to be entangled by the vines as he began to writhe and struggle to free himself. As he did that, he shot Velocity, her talons covered with his blood, a murderous look.

"When I get outa here and have dealt with this feathered insect, you grey and white worm, I'm GONNA DISEMBOWEL YOU!" he bellowed before turning his murderous gaze to Roberto. Then the struggle between the two enemies erupted in the web of vines and Voldemort had wrapped his wings around Roberto's neck in an effort to strangle him. However, Roberto's beak sank into one of his wings, clamping onto it as hard as he could and sending searing pain ripping through Voldemort's wing and drawing blood. Outside the web of vines, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Ophiuchus, Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia began to try and hack and slash their way through the tendrils to reach Roberto by biting through some of them with their beaks and clawing more of them with their talons while Roberto and Voldemort continued furiously struggling against each other in their entanglement.

Roberto glared daggers with Voldemort as he held his nemesis by the throat.

"I can't BELIEVE you would SCOFF AT what I WENT THROUGH AT THE HANDS OF THAT WICKED HUMAN GIRL WHO ABUSED ME!" snarled Roberto as he tried to strangle Voldemort, "Not to mention the fact that YOU JUST STOOD BACK AND WATCHED ME GET WHISKED AWAY BY THOSE POACHERS AFTER YOU SLAUGHTERED MY FAMILY!"

However, the sadistic look remained on the deranged flying fox's face and his bitten wing oozing blood went straight for Roberto's crest and began to pull on the feathers, inflicting Roberto with immense pain.

"Why would I bother coming after you when one," replied Voldemort nastily as he relished the agony he caused Roberto by pulling on his crest, "We'd be caught ourselves and two, when you good-for-nothing birds are more trouble than you're worth?"

Roberto shot the evil bat a furious gaze.

"What did that human owner of yours call you again?" asked Voldemort meanly, "Polly or sommat? Or did she say, 'Polly wanna cracker? Polly wanna cracker'?"

And with that, he burst out laughing as this comment pierced Roberto like a harpy eagle's talon. Brisa's eyes flashed with disgust at Voldemort's mockery of the nightmare Roberto had to endure at the hands of that human girl that had abused him, as well as his capture by poachers. With another extremely enraged screech, Roberto tightened his grip around Voldemort's neck to the point of cutting off his breathing. His blue eyes erupted like volcanoes and his crest feathers spiked out violently. With his other talon, Roberto slashed Voldemort's stomach but despite the pain he received from his nemesis's attacks and his air supply cut off, Voldemort's face remained twisted into its sadistic and insane look. Chilro then deduced what the evil bat was about to do.

"Daddy, remove your foot from his throat!" he cried, attempting to fly forward only for Ophiuchus to restrain him. "Remove your foot from his neck!"

Roberto heard his youngest son's shouts and shot him a surprised glance but then he felt a set of sharp needles brutally penetrate the skin on the talon wrapped around Voldemort's throat as the evil bat bit down as hard as he could onto Roberto's foot. Brisa looked on in horror as she saw blood ooze from the penetration points of Voldemort's teeth on her mate's talon and as Voldemort then thrashed his head this way and that to try and mangle Roberto's foot.

"Oh, MANGOES AND GUAVAS!" she bellowed and began to hack and slash her way through the web of vines faster, Jojo, Felix, Lavender and Velocity doing the same. Roberto writhed in pain and in his entrapment of vines as Voldemort continued thrashing his head with his talon firmly clamped into his mouth, but despite the agony inflicted on him, Roberto's fiery blue eyes remained fixated on Voldemort until they saw his left cheek, the only one that had not been badly scratched, Roberto let loose a hiss. While Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Velocity, and Ophiuchus on his bat-bird with Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia hanging on continued to hack and slash through their way towards the two fighters, Roberto glared fierily at Voldemort whose bloodlust-filled eyes continued to glare back at him, and raised his other talon. Nearby, Jewel and some of the others including Carla, Bia and Tiago flew in while the other birds dealt with the rest of the bats, some having fled for they had given up.

"Let's see how YOU LIKE BEING IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN, you MURDEROUS MONSTER!" snarled Roberto and with that, he flared his talon claws and savagely slashed them right over Voldemort's left cheek but Roberto continued scoring his claws down his nemesis's neck, shoulder and further down to Voldemort's hip, a vengeful hiss erupting from Roberto's beak. An extremely agonised screech of pure agony erupted from the flying fox and as his wings went to the enormous set of new and horribly bloody claw marks running from his left cheek all the way down to near his left hip, Voldemort released Roberto's talon and crest and Roberto began to struggle and writhe out of the trap of vine netting, blood emerging profusely from his massive claw marks.

"Roberto, use your beak!" cried Brisa. At this, Roberto, his other talon splashed with Voldemort's blood, remembered what to do whenever he was trapped in a vine web: biting his way out. Putting this important skill to use, he began to free himself as his family and Velocity approached him more. Behind Roberto, Voldemort, the majority of his left side from his face and down his torso bleeding profusely where Roberto had clawed him, as well as his back which oozed more blood from Velocity's attack, then began to bite his way out of the vines using his teeth despite the agony from the claw marks. Then as soon as Brisa was near Roberto and had begun to bite through the vines binding him, Voldemort managed to free himself. At first, horror tore through the group but then they realised that Voldemort, as soon as he was free, had begun to struggle to stay aloft, his injured wing where Roberto had bitten him hard, combined with the massive claw marks running down his torso, hindering his ability to fly properly due to the sheer pain they kept emitting. Then after another few more seconds of struggling to stay in the air, the evil hulking flying fox plummeted, screaming on the way down. Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Ophiuchus, Chilro, Gabrielle and Ophelia, together with Velocity, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago and some of the other birds, watched on as Voldemort flailed helplessly, blood drops flying from all his injuries as he hurtled through space towards the piranha-infested pool below. Then a splash was heard as the pool's surface enveloped him. The moment Voldemort's body hit the water and was submerged, the blood from his injuries billowing in a red cloud around him, the sharp-toothed fish piled in on their prey. From above, Jewel and company including Augustus, Melissa, Stella, Luna and Sebastian watched in horror, Ophiuchus's wing over the three chicks' faces, as the piranhas gruesomely tore Voldemort apart in their blood smell-generated feeding frenzy. The rest of Voldemort's minions also watched their short-lived leader as the piranha's devoured him. Demoralised by his loss and intimidated by the glares of the birds, they retreated, leaving behind a group of cheering birds and allied flying foxes as they celebrated the defeat of the last of Cicatriz's minions.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49- the clean-up continues, not everyone is happy**

After dealing with Voldemort and his minions, Jewel and company, along with Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro, Ophelia, Kira, Garrett and Turquesa, and also Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle and Gabrielle, now free and reunited with Mars and Roberto, journeyed back towards the Spix tribe's ravine. Some of the birds rushed Roberto and several other injured birds to the hospital to be treated, especially Roberto for he had been bitten by Voldemort and his injured foot might get infected since Voldemort was a highly unhygienic bat. Venus remembered suffering infection when the dirty bat slashed her down the back during his chase of her on the night of the most recent fire and how she had almost died from it.

As the casualties were taken away, Augustus, together with Melissa, Stella (who clung onto Melissa's back), Luna and Sebastian watched on, especially Roberto as he and his family flew off in the direction of the hospital. Then Felipe, Pearl, Mars, Jupiter and their families flew in.

"Was it common for your colony-mates to leave birds to their fate when the latter are caught by poachers?" asked Felipe with a frown.

"It's quite uncommon actually but yes," said Augustus, "And it seems that poor Roberto was one such unfortunate victim…" he breathed a sad sigh, "It's depressing really, especially when I think about how my cousin-in-law Lily was rescued from a poacher's trap by some birds when she was a pup…"

"Rescuing a baby from the enemy," said Pearl, "That's one of the hardest things to do. I'd have just abandoned her to her fate if I had seen her caught in a poacher's net."

"That would be very wrong," said Jupiter firmly.

"Yes," said Mars, "It would be just as bad as what those flying foxes did to countless birds over so many generations…"

Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre, Estelle, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Byron and Sheldon nodded in agreement.

"Two wrongs never make a right anyway," said Phobos. Augustus and Melissa gazed at the scarlet and green-winged macaws.

"It absolutely wouldn't," said Augustus to Phobos, "But that event in Lily's life was the starting point for the flying foxes that had been against the lie-based teachings about the Amazon birds in their rebellion against the rest of the colony, especially what those bats had put the innocent birds they had killed and/or driven out to grab their land or earn trophies through."

Jupiter put a comforting talon onto Augustus's shoulder. "At least it's all over now," he said with a smile. Augustus and Melissa returned the smile.

"Let's just get back to the Spix tribe's ravine and report that we've dealt with the last of Cicatriz's minions," said Augustus. And with that, the group continued their flight to the Spix macaws' ravine.

 **Some time later**

Jewel's group, apart from the casualties and some of the birds that had gone to the hospital, entered the Spix tribe's ravine. As they entered, Jewel, Carla, Bia and Tiago looked up to see the Spix macaws preparing to move back into their trees with the help of Marcus's group, the tidying almost completed. Any stocked food remaining during the war was being handed back to the birds from the other tribes and clans to return to their home areas in order to save them from going to waste while Spix parents with eggs and under flight aged chicks continued to leave the waterfall cave. Carla gazed longingly at the bundles of downy blue feathers and the white orbs as they were transported in the special leaf and twig bags when Sebastian flew in.

"You know, Carla," he said, "When I have my own family, I'm going to give my pups a tour of the sanctuary and when they are old enough, explain to them about the history of the flying foxes' relationship with the birds and how it changed from enmity to peace…"

"Well, when I have my own chicks with Justin," said Carla, "I'm gonna consider taking them to our birthplace of Rio de Janeiro…"

"Same here," said Bia and Tiago together. Sebastian gazed at the trio.

"Rio?" he asked confused.

"It's a city where we were born," said Io as she flew in with Europa, Byron and Sheldon. Ganymede had left to find Mimas in the blue-and-gold macaws' territory while Callisto had gone to the hospital to meet Athos.

"It's got a grey human figure with his arms stretched out and there's the sea and a beach bordering it," said Europa. Sebastian smiled as fascination took hold.

"I would like to come with you to see that city," he said, "In all my life I have never seen a human city before. What is it like? Dull and drab coloured compared to here, I believe…"

"Dull and drab yes," said Tiago, "But it's a fun place as well. You'll love it when we go there together."

"It also harbours some dangers as well," said Orion as he and Velocity flew in. Velocity had washed her talons of Voldemort's blood, not wanting to bear the traces of the wicked bat any longer.

"Dangers?" asked Sebastian curiously. Luna flew in to listen.

"Yes," said Velocity firmly, "It's a city and it's a concentration of human settlement." She then paused and stole a glance at Augustus and Melissa as they told Eduardo and Mimi the report of Voldemort's demise. "Also, I don't think your parents would approve of you and your sisters going to a place with so many humans since they might have the same reputation among the flying foxes like they sometimes do the jungle birds…"

"Especially after hearing how Lily was caught in a human trap when she was young," said Bia. Sebastian gazed back at the Spix and red macaws and the two falcons.

"We could talk this over with your parents if you would like," said Carla, "But don't be surprised if they turn down your decision of coming with us to a human city."

"It's for your safety," said Bia. The others nodded in agreement. Sebastian's face fell for a few seconds but then it lightened up again.

"Well, I suppose I'd be safer if I go with you birds and stay with you at all times," he said, "I'm sure Mom and Dad would approve of you keeping me safe while we are there."

Carla was about to reply when suddenly, Venus's voice rang out, jolting the group and turning their attention to the pigtailed macaw. It was then that they saw her in an embrace with another macaw and Carla could see that both of them had tears streaming down their faces.

"Looks like Aunt Venus has reunited with someone," she said. Bia, Tiago, Velocity, Orion, Sebastian, Io, Europa, Sheldon and Byron continued watching Venus and the other macaw, which was female as they continued crying into each other's shoulders.

The female macaw Venus was embracing had maya blue feathers like Venus and also like Venus; she had a blue-white patch around each eye connected by a band over the beak's top. Her body build was stocky and her eyes were a shade of blue. Unlike Venus who had a set of pigtails, this macaw's crest was a feather ruffle. To Carla and the others' surprise, the two macaws looked rather different but then Sheldon heard the female macaw call Venus 'Sister'.

"Sister?" repeated he in a whisper.

"Isn't that one of Venus's long lost relatives?" asked Byron. Then Tiago remembered something.

"Uncle Zephyr, Justin, Charlotte and Matilda are at the hospital helping Uncle Beto get treatment for his almost mangled foot," he said, "Looks like they are going to be in for a real surprise when they see this."

"Look, she has her own mate and two offspring as well," said Io. The others looked and saw that the maya blue macaw had a darker blue macaw and two smaller birds, one of them a maya blue male and the other a dark blue female. The female had a pair of pigtails like Venus and Matilda, but the feathers in them were around two or three times longer, reaching down to her shoulders. She, her brother and father hovered around Venus and greeted her.

"Venus is an aunt," said Byron with a smile.

"She and her family must be one of the hidden Spix macaws rescued and looked after by Mr Marcus and his group," said Luna. Sebastian then looked on and saw Marcus fly up to Venus and talk to her. It was then that Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena flew up to the group.

"That's Izzy, Aunt Venus's sister," said Milo, a talon pointing to the macaw hovering next to Venus, "Her mate's called Phoebus and they have a son named Erico."

"Erico?" repeated Io in surprise.

"That name sounds familiar," said Europa as her mind mulled it over. Then after a few seconds, it clicked into place.

"That's it," she said, "Erico was Aunt Venus's father!"

"Izzy must have named her son after him," said Rosa with a smile, "What an honourable way to remember their father."

Sebastian smiled. "Well, when I have pups, I'm gonna name one of my daughters after my first-cousin, once-removed, Lily, in her honour, after her efforts in protecting those birds from the rest of the savage colony."

"That's a great idea," said Carla. Bia then smiled.

"Well, I'm gonna name one of our sons after the star Sirius when Virgil and I have chicks," she said, "That name has always been one of my favourites."

"I like Sonia," said Carla dreamily.

"And I like Bellatrix," said Tiago. The others smiled. Then the group turned to Milo, Rosa, Clemont and Serena.

"So how did Izzy manage to survive all this time?" asked Carla, "Did you hear her backstory?"

"I thought she would have died when those poachers attacked when she and Venus were chicks," said Io. Milo then fluttered forward.

"Well, from what we've heard," he said, his gaze on Izzy as she talked with Venus, "Izzy and her and Venus's outer sister, Flo, had managed to escape capture from those cats that retrieved the fallen and netted birds and were rescued by Lola, Mercury's mother, after she had fled a savage white bird," Carla, Bia and Tiago immediately identified this as Nigel, "She had been unable to rescue Thomas or her chicks as they were either killed by the white bird or captured by the cats. Anyway, after rescuing Izzy and Flo, she disappeared deep into the jungle," the listeners' ears cocked to hear the story, interesting seizing their bearers, "Lola then raised Izzy and Flo as her own chicks and took them deeper into the Amazon rainforest to get as far away from any human as possible and had settled in with a mixed group of various birds where they lived for several years. But then one day, that group was attacked by flying foxes and Lola, Izzy and Flo barely made it out but tragically, Flo died of her injuries. Lola and Izzy were then rescued by a group of hidden birds led by Lily who took them under their wing. There, Lola met another Lear's macaw, a male and Izzy met Phoebus," then Milo nodded to Izzy and her family, "And there they are."

"Mercury's mother is alive as well?" asked Io. Clemont, Serena and Rosa nodded.

"She's been escorted to the Lear's tribe's ravine to meet her son," said Clemont.

"There's gonna be a tearful reunion waiting for Mercury that's for sure," said Serena. Carla, Bia, Tiago, Velocity and Orion, together with Io, Europa, Sheldon and Byron, Sebastian and Luna then gazed at Venus's sister, brother-in-law and nephew and niece as they sat on one of the lilypads talking together and smiled. Meanwhile, Jewel, Augustus and Melissa had finished delivering their report to Eduardo and Mimi of Voldemort's demise.

"That's excellent news," said Eduardo gladly, "Let's hope that Roberto's injury isn't too serious."

"Marcus and the other allied flying foxes have promised to help keep an eye out for anything suspicious like revenge plots," said Mimi, much to the gladness of Augustus, his mate and Jewel.

"That's excellent," said Augustus, "We don't want any trace of my deranged brother's colony and their teachings left behind to grow and replace what was uprooted and removed."

Melissa nodded in agreement. Just then, a female brown flying fox flew in.

"Um, excuse me?" she said.

"What is it, Ana?" asked Melissa. The bat, named Ana, moved aside and revealed a young blue macaw chick.

"This young chick is all that's left of a family of a Spix macaw named Mertle and her daughter named Aguamarina," explained Ana, "This is that Spix macaw's grandson. He's the only surviving chick of that little group which, unfortunately, were brutally murdered by a gang of flying foxes when they strayed too close to the colony's border in an unprovoked attack. We found him wandering through the jungle and had rescued him."

At this, the heartstrings of Mimi, Eduardo and Jewel were pulled as they gazed at the little chick, his eyes flooded with devastation. Although he was the grandson of her greatest and bratty rival who insulted her at every opportunity she got, Jewel couldn't bear to see this little chick to go without a set of parents. Reaching out her wings, she took the timid chick and gently held him gently close to her chest feathers.

"I know," Jewel said, gazing into the chick's lime green eyes, the same shade of green as Mertle, "I'm gonna adopt him as one of my own alongside Linda and Luke. As much as I hated Mertle, I can't let her grandson grow up without a mother and father."

"While Mertle, Aguamarina and the rest of those macaws will be remembered in our funeral as well," said Eduardo, "Though they had been utterly bratty, they are still macaws."

"Thanks for salvaging that chick, Ana," said Augustus. Ana smiled and left to help some macaws move out of the waterfall cave. As Ana left, Linda and Luke flew over to Jewel with Aquamarine and Azurite, Gael following close behind for she had been looking after these four chicks the whole time.

"I wonder how my son and daughter are doing," said Gael as she touched down before Eduardo, Mimi, Jewel, Augustus and Melissa. Luke and Linda then began to hover around the young chick in Jewel's wings. Gael then smiled at Venus as she continued talking with Izzy.

"And I'm so glad that Venus has reunited with one of her long-lost sisters," she said.

"We actually assumed that she was either captured by the poachers or had died in the jungle," said Jewel.

"Hey, Mom, are we gonna have a new brother?" asked Luke excitedly as he and Linda flitted excitedly around Mertle's grandson. Jewel looked at her younger son and daughter.

"Yes, we're gonna adopt this orphan into our family, you two," she said.

"Cool!" cried Linda.

"That's awesome!" cried Luke excitedly.

"What are you gonna call him?" asked Azurite as he hovered with Aquamarine. Jewel smiled at the chick in her wings.

"I don't know," she said, "But since his mother and grandmother and relatives are deceased and since I don't know what name Aguamarina had given him I might as well give him one."

She then stared into space and made a puzzled expression on her face.

"Now, let me see," she said, "He has green eyes like Daddy," she gazed from the chick to Eduardo, who smiled, "So I'll name him after Daddy!"

And with that, she raised the chick in her wings. The chick giggled.

"That's a good name, Eduardo," said Augustus.

"Nice to meet you, Eduardo," said Mimi.

"That's very nice of you to name him after me, my daughter," said Eduardo, Jewel's father, a wing around her shoulder, "Why don't you call him Eddy as a nickname to distinguish him from me?"

"That's a great idea, Dad," said Jewel. She then cradled the newly named Eddy in her wings, the others looking on. Melissa smiled at Augustus and said, "At least that chick's got a new family to live in."

"Yep," said Melissa, "Blu will be proud to have a new adopted son in his family."

"Yeah, but he'll be in the hospital for quite some time, Melissa," said Mimi, "He's got a broken wing, remember?"

Jewel sighed and nodded in agreement. She shuddered as she remembered seeing the agonised look in Blu's brown eyes as Iracebeth tackled him hard into a branch and screaming in excruciating pain while Iracebeth's bloodlust-crazed eyes glared at him in the most sadistic way as she relished the painful screech erupting out of Blu's beak. This incident eerily paralleled Jewel's incident with Nigel when that barbaric cockatoo broke her wing on that plane. However, Nigel had heaved Jewel into the wall and unintentionally caused a cage to fall on her wing, whilst Iracebeth's breaking of Blu's wing had been outright deliberate, as if she wanted it to happen. Pushing away the memories, Jewel focussed her attention on her newly adopted son.

 **The Navyfeathers and glaucous tribe's home patch**

The home groves of the Navyfeather Clan and glaucous tribe were decorated with large navy blue birds with yellow facial markings and blue, turquoise and teal grey-headed birds also with yellow markings, along with the colours of various other bird species such as chestnut-fronted macaws and archaeobirds. The Navyfeathers and the glaucous macaw tribe had moved back into their groves while the smaller group birds were waiting for the reports from patrol groups regarding their homes in the other macaws' territories and the flying fox activities within them. Marinho, Ultramarine and Neptune still grieved the loss of Flavio as did everyone else. Rudi and Valeria had stopped to pay their respects to the Navytfeather Clan leader for they had missed his passing away due to an emergency involving Flor and Triton. Despite the burden, Marinho, now the new leader of the Navyfeathers continued his tasks. He had initiated Violeta, Vincente, Arlo and the other remaining Bluewing hyacinth macaws into his clan, sent out patrols to help the patrol groups of Soleado, Felipe, Jewel and Alonso's tribes check the homes of the small non-tribe and clan bird groups for confirmation that the colony flying foxes had left them for good, while Andromeda and her clan helped the Bluewing hyacinth macaws settle into their new homes with the Navyfeathers.

Almost none of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws wanted to return to their grove with the blue-throated macaws but they had offered the group that had remained hidden all this time, led by Marcus and Ana, the friends of the late Lily, their now-empty grove, not wanting it to go unused. Ana and Marcus had left to think about this decision while the Bluewing hyacinth macaws prepared to adapt into life with Marinho's clan. In one tree next to the new patriarch of the clan, Charon, Neytiri, Quincy, Blueberry and Aiden stood on a perch just outside Neptune and Ultramarine's tree, watching the activities. With them were Mariposa and Kiawe the blue-headed macaws, Alessandro and Rhiannon the chestnut-fronted macaws, and Caspian and Citrine the golden conures. Charon then picked out Pluto as he helped Falkor, Fedor and Rafflesia who held Hedor, her and Fedor's son, in her wings, and Ámbar the lutino blue-and-gold macaw as they helped treat the birds with minor injuries, or injuries not too serious to require human help while nearby, Andromeda, Eragon and Spock helped the remaining families of the decimated Bluewing Clan move into any spare trees under the guidance of Rudi and Valeria. As the little group watched the activities, Spyro came in on his bat-bird.

"Well, I guess it's all over, folks," he said.

"Yep," said Charon as he continued observing the activities.

"I can't believe we're back in our rightful groves," said Blueberry in a slightly tearful voice as she leaned against Aiden's shoulder, his wing draped over her back. Aiden, Quincy and Neytiri also wore saddened looks as they watched the activities. Then Kiawe decided to lift the glaucous macaws' spirits.

"Hey, guys," he said, "Did you know that the Amazon Pit of Games League is going to return after being cancelled?"

The others shot him a surprised look.

"Is it?" asked Mariposa.

"Yes," said Kiawe excitedly, "And Augustus has decided that his new clan will participate in it. Some of his clan bats are considering taking up soccer lessons once everything returns to normal."

"Oh, that would be awesome to see the allied flying foxes participate," said Blueberry, her sadness fading, "I would love to see Sebastian on the field."

"Also," said Caspian as he had his wing draped over Citrine's back, "A massive party is being planned to celebrate our victory against the flying fox colony. I overheard Neptune talk about it."

"However, it won't go ahead until the casualties are released from the hospital," said Citrine. At her mentioning of the hospital, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry, Neytiri and Aiden's faces fell as thoughts about Lapis Lazuli and the other former-prisoners of the flying foxes' territory came to mind.

"Don't worry about them, you five," said Alessandro with a reassuring smile, hoping to bring them out of the dip, "They will get better but it's just a matter of time."

"I know," said Charon, "It's just the sight of the result of what Mom and the other seven had been put through at the membranous wings of those furry savages of Cicatriz when they interrogated them."

Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro nodded in agreement. When they heard or had seen the scrawny, gaunt, beaten appearance of the near-featherless macaws with terror-filled, sleep-deprived eyes after they had been rescued from the flying foxes' interrogation spot, they had been horrified and Spyro had been having nightmares about the subject since. However, he perked up.

"Well, that's over now like I've said..." suddenly, his sentence was cut off when the group heard the sounds of angry shouting. At this, the heads of all twelve birds popped up and their gazes darted to the direction of the shouting.

"That sounds like Indigo," said Charon as he recognised the voice. Blueberry then recognised the voice.

"It is," she said.

"Oh, I hope she's not having a falling out with someone," said Quincy, his wing over his face as dread welled within him. Then suddenly, the group heard a second female voice.

"That's Penelope," said Neytiri, "She sounds very angry and upset."

At this, Charon, Blueberry and Quincy, dread really boiling within them, opened their wings and took off to investigate.

"You three!" cried Aiden as his and Neytiri's wings darted out and they took off after Flor's older siblings. Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro followed, the latter hopping onto his bat-bird's back and taking off after the macaws. As the twelve traced the shouts to their sources, meaningful words became decipherable.

"How could you say THAT about my BROTHER, Penelope!? Don't you REALISE what you're planning to do could break his heart FURTHER!? He's devastated enough AS IT IS!"

Indigo's voice and she never sounded so infuriated. Then the group heard the second voice retort at the first one.

"I don't CARE, Indigo! I'M NOT gonna spend my LIFE WITH A ONE-EYED, SCAR-FACED MACAW!"

Flabbergast and disgust flared within the group and Blueberry drew in a sharp breath. Then outrage fired up within Charon.

"How could Penelope call her own BOYFRIEND something DEROGATORY like THAT!?" he barked.

"Especially after what he has been through," added Blueberry.

"In protecting the son and two daughters of the flying fox that has helped us ever so much throughout the entire war from getting _slaughtered_ by that brute from Cicatriz's clan," put in Neytiri. Then two navy blue birds almost twice the size of Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro despite them being roughly the same age as them, one of them having a violet tint to her plumage, hat, came into view.

"Yep, it's definitely Indigo and Penelope alright," said Aiden as he recognised the two hyacinth macaws. The others looked on and saw that Penelope's blue eyes were ablaze with anger and disgust as they were directed at Triton's sister, her eyes equally ablaze with disgust and outrage and the group could see that Indigo was trying to reason with Penelope.

"He was trying to protect Sebastian, Stella and Luna from getting slaughtered by that hulking savage of a bat!" barked Indigo, clearly frustrated at Penelope's stubbornness, "But that brute retaliated so FAST that Triton did not have time to react and before he knew it, he was clawed right over the left side of his face. In other words he didn't have time to move fast enough to avoid that attack, resulting in the loss of sight he has to deal with for the rest of his life. It's not HIS fault that he had to face such a tragedy."

"Then maybe he shouldn't have got involved with trying to defend those three young flying foxes then, shouldn't he!?" retorted Penelope. Disgust flared up again within Charon and company.

"Sebastian is only our size while Stella and Luna are shorter than he is," hissed Mariposa, "While that hulking flying fox would have been well over four times their size and possibly two or three times stronger than the three of them combined. They wouldn't have stood a chance had Triton not intervened."

"Exactly," said Aiden in agreement, "Based on what Sebastian and also Marcus, the allied flying fox that had dived in to rescue Triton had described to us."

Indigo retorted at Penelope, saying the same thing Mariposa and Aiden had just mentioned.

"You're just gonna have to learn to accept his permanent disfigurement, Penny," she added, "There are ways to conceal the damage," she paused for a moment, "In fact, our new Cuban red macaw friend, Frodo, has just found one…"

However, to the disappointment of Charon and company, and especially Indigo, Penelope's wall of stubbornness refused to come down and she turned and prepared to rocket off into the trees.

"I don't CARE what you say, you two!" she snarled, tears falling from her face before charging away, "There's no WAY I'm gonna have a macaw that greatly resembles Cicatriz with that blind eye and scarred facial look for a LIFELONG MATE! As soon as he comes out of that hospital, I'm gonna BREAK UP WITH HIM!"

At this, Indigo's eyes flashed with immense hurt. Charon and company also flinched at what Penelope had just said. Then Neytiri charged forward at Penelope before she could rush off. Her eyes blazed with periwinkle blue-purple flames and her rich cyan and grey plumage apart from the feathers in her braid, were spiked out like the fur of an enraged or threatened cat.

"How DARE you say that ABOUT TRITON, you BRAT!" she snarled at the top of her voice, "YOU'RE HONESTLY NO BETTER THAN AGUAMARINA WHO MOCKED BIA!"

As Neytiri yelled at Penelope, Indigo, overcome with hurt from Penelope's scathing comment about her brother and the urge to sob reaching boiling point, whirled round and dashed off. Charon, Aiden, Blueberry, Quincy, Alessandro, Rhiannon, Citrine, Caspian, Kiawe, Mariposa and Spyro followed, some of them calling her name. Neytiri saw Triton's sister tear off into the forest like a violet-tinted navy blue comet. At this, she shot Penelope another outraged glare.

"Now you've done it," she hissed and with that, she chased after the others. Penelope, though guilt was beginning to well within her for upsetting Indigo, turned and charged into the trees in the opposite direction, the plan on breaking off the engagement with Triton as soon as he came out of the hospital still in her head. However, her charging into the trees hadn't gone unnoticed. Fedor and Rafflesia the hoatzins, having given Hedor their son to Ámbar to look after while they took a break from the tasks, flew in, having heard shouting and sobbing. However, all they saw of Penelope was her tail vanishing into the trees in a navy blue blur. Compelled by curiosity and suspicion, Fedor turned to Rafflesia.

"Can you fetch Pluto, Rudi, and Neptune, Ultramarine and also Penelope's parents please," he said, "While I see to Indigo and the others."

Rafflesia nodded and left to fetch those macaws while Fedor left in Indigo and company's direction.

Sometime later, Indigo had taken refuge in a very dark shadow cast by a large cluster of leaves that blocked out the sun, in a tree. Her wings were wrapped around her body and her head was bowed. Charon and Neytiri hovered close to her while the others stayed back. Indigo's peripheral vision caught sighted a flash of grey, dark turquoise and cyan but she recognised them without needing to turn to look at them.

"Neytiri… Charon…" came Indigo's voice which sounded broken and on edge, "Please… I want to be alone."

The two, at this, exchanged glances and backed away, joining the others.

"Neptune and Ultramarine are not gonna be impressed when they see this," murmured Rhiannon worriedly. Charon glared at her. Then sobs began to sound from Indigo's hiding place which tugged at his heartstrings. Indigo had started crying and was sobbing hard.

"I don't know what to do," murmured Charon, his eyes on the spot where Indigo was. It was then that the group heard the sound of flapping wings. At this, the group turned and saw a chubby bird with rusty red-orange wing feathers and crest, a black back with white specks sprinkled on it and a pale sandy yellow underside, and blue fleshy patches surrounding its eyes, approach them.

"Fedor," said Blueberry in surprise as the hoatzin touched down onto a perch before them. His gaze was a look of firmness and a frown.

"Where's Indigo?" he asked. Spyro pointed a wing claw to Indigo's location.

"In there," he said. Then Fedor opened his wings and took off towards Indigo's hiding spot. The twelve birds then exchanged glances.

"Sounds like Fedor had overheard what has happened," said Charon. The others looked back at him.

"I think he'll help sort this problem out," said Blueberry. The others nodded in agreement and then turned to watch Fedor as he tried to coax Indigo into coming out of her hiding place.


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50- the road to recovery and unfortunate aftereffects of the war**

 **Later**

The news of what Penelope had said about Triton had reached the ears of Neptune, Ultramarine and Penelope's parents through Fedor and Rafflesia. Now Penelope had been brought before these four macaws, and Fedor and Rafflesia and Marinho for a serious talk. While this went on, Indigo watched from her and her family's tree, tears still streaming down her face. Charon, Quincy and Blueberry were with her; Neytiri, Aiden, Kiawe, Mariposa, Citrine, Caspian, Alessandro and Rhiannon had left for their relatives' trees for they had been called to help with some tasks but Spyro and his bat-bird had decided to stay behind with Indigo and Flor's three older siblings. Spyro, Quincy, Charon and Blueberry watched on as Penelope, though guilty, refused to listen to her parents and Indigo's own parents and uncle.

"She's as stubborn as a Brazil nut," muttered Spyro as he ate a Hoja Doblada meal (Spanish for 'folded leaf') given to him by Anakin for his lunch shortly after he had returned to the home grove of the Navyfeather Clan. The stuffing in the large green folded leaf consisted of crushed coconut, mango, grubs (larvae of certain bugs) and some other insects.

"Tell me about it," muttered Charon in disgust, "I can't believe that she would compare poor Triton to the most despised and infamous flying fox colony leader based on what happened when he helped to protect Sebastian and his two sisters from certain death…"

"It was so insensitive," said Quincy in agreement.

"Absolutely," said Blueberry. Just then, the sound of flapping wings reached the group's ears. Charon, his sister and brother and Spyro, and also the tearful Indigo, turned and looked at Pluto as he touched down before them.

"What's the news, Dad?" asked Charon. Pluto, a frowned face, shook his head.

"Penelope's not listening to the rebukes of her parents or even the new hyacinth clan leader," he muttered in disappointment.

"That's the last thing Marinho needs after the loss of his uncle," said Spyro. Pluto's eyes then settled on the tearful Indigo as she continued sobbing.

"But what she said about Indigo's brother was totally and utterly unacceptable and inappropriate," he said, "Augustus is not gonna be pleased when he hears about this."

"Especially after Triton had to sacrifice half his sight to save his son and daughters as well," said Blueberry. Pluto nodded in agreement. Then another thought came to him.

"Oh, we're planning on a visit to the casualties in hospital later today, folks," he said, "We're gonna see Lapis Lazuli and the others and see how they are doing."

"I heard that Frodo, our new Cuban red macaw friend, has devised a way for Triton to conceal most of the disfigurement of his left face," said Quincy, "So he's going to come with us and give it to Triton."

Well, that's very nice of him," said Pluto.

"What about Eustace?" asked Blueberry.

"He's lost a talon," said Charon, "His disfigurements aren't facial. There's not much that could be done to conceal what is left of his left talon."

Blueberry sighed, knowing that Eustace, unlike Triton, will not need anything to cover the stump of his missing left talon though he might need something to conceal the remnants of his injuries from his attacker which were likely to scar. With the thoughts of Triton and Eustace swimming around in her mind, Blueberry refocussed on the confrontation of Penelope and her parents, Indigo and Triton's parents and Marinho and the other elders and Penelope constantly and stubbornly rebuffing their attempts to tell her off. 'I hope she learns to accept the fact that Triton will not be the same again with his sight loss," thought Blueberry worriedly.

 **Weeks since the war pass**

In the passing weeks since the Great Battle for the Sanctuary, as the event has been named, the jungle in the nature reserve was beginning to return to normal. Furthermore, the injuries most of the battlers had sustained during the fight were in the process of healing. The birds that had to be taken to the hospital after sustaining more serious injuries were also on the road to recovery. The plumages of Lapis Lazuli, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo were growing back and their wings and tails were sprouting new flight feathers to replace the ones torn out by their flying fox interrogators as part of the torture scheme. The cuts and bruises marking their bodies had also receded and faded and their personalities were returning. After proper nourishment by the bird carers, the eight macaws' builds were also returning and they all enjoyed proper sleep and rest, safe from all that had been going on. The friends, families and relatives of these eight macaws and also the other casualties such as Blu, Ceres, Athos, Victor and Virgil and the rest had visited and had talked with them, catching up on the activities and the recovery in the jungle, the party preparations, the resuming of the Amazon Pit of Games League and that Augustus and his new clan, which were in the process of establishing in an unclaimed part of territory on the Sanctuary de Amazon with many of the hidden birds, those that had been rescued by Lily's friends and other flying foxes that had been against the teachings of the colony, will be participating and were practicing soccer, something the flying foxes had never done before. Lapis Lazuli, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo looked forward to being released into the wild, to be reunited with their tribes, clans and friends, but then uncertainty gnawed at them; how will they, especially Lapis Lazuli, going to face the other birds after what had happened in the evil flying fox colony's interrogation patch? Will they be forgiven? It was a difficult and painful wait for these eight as they continued to wait until their release once they were well enough to be sent back into the wild.

While the eight surviving former prisoners were recovering from their horrifying four-day ordeal in the interrogation patch of the flying fox colony's territory, the other casualties, among them Blu, Virgil, Ceres and Titania with their broken wings, Athos with his broken talon, and Sunset who was stabbed by a deranged flying fox with a sharp-stick shortly after her arrival in the jungle with Travis and the others from Rio in search of Eustace and company were also recovering. Blu, Virgil, Ceres and Titania's fractured wings were healing and soon, they will be ready to fly again while Athos will be able to use his left talon once again once it had recovered. Ash the military macaw and Titania's new mate, who had been almost fatally stabbed by a sharp-stick-armed flying fox through the back and had lost a lot of blood was also well enough to be placed into the recovery room once his condition reached stable. However, he had been badly shaken from the whole ordeal. Those with nasty gashes inflicted on them, such as Ceres with the stitch-up gash on her forehead and longer gash down the left side of her torso, Victor with some gashes across his torso, Eustace with a few gashes on his belly just above his amputated talon, Triton with the gashes running over his left facial side and Flor who had many scratches crisscrossing her sea green plumage, were likely to develop into scars which would serve as permanent reminders of the violence they had faced during the war, especially Triton in his protecting of Sebastian, Stella and Luna from a hulking flying fox. He had been utterly depressed over the loss of sight in his left eye and the scars running over his entire left facial side but when Frodo, the Cuban red macaw had offered him the solution of concealing much of the damage: a large leaf bandana to wear over his eye, he had perked up. Furthermore, Frodo had suggested to the macaws likely to develop scars to apply certain fruit to help reduce them, which he will show as soon as they were released from hospital. And Roberto, who had managed to deal with Voldemort and the last of Cicatriz's colony, had had his talon treated and luckily, his wound had not suffered infection due to his rush to the hospital being so quick, unlike Venus when she had suffered an attack from the same evil bat several years before. After having his injury treated and following a short stay in the hospital, Roberto was finally released into the wild where he was reunited with Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro, Ophelia and all his extended family and friends including Jewel, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Tyler, Ricardo and Cassia, the mate of Nuvem who longed for her mate's release as well.

Back in the Sanctuary de Amazon itself, everything was returning to normal before Cicatriz and Iracebeth had put their invasion plans into motion. The blue-throated macaws had moved back into their home grove while the Bluewing Clan's grove had been taken up by some of the hyacinth macaws and many of the birds from the hidden group. The Lear's tribe had moved back into their ravine and it had been confirmed by the patrol groups that the flying foxes, those that had lived as part of the colony, had definitely disappeared for good. Only those that were allied with the birds and had been against the anti-bird teachings remained and they had established a clan outside the Blue-throated macaw clan's territory in an unclaimed part of land with some of the birds of the hidden group, with Augustus and Melissa as their leaders. Furthermore, Augustus, Melissa, Ana and Marcus had set up the area as a sort of village paradise for the extremely rare birds such as the Cuban macaws and the Dominican green-and-yellow macaws to settle in, and had named it 'El Pueblo de Lily', Spanish for 'The Village of Lily', named in honour of the flying fox and Melissa's cousin who helped to rescue and hide the extremely rare birds from the rest of the colony and their murderous plans on slaughtering them. Things really were improving for everyone but among them happiness, sadness was present as well. A funeral had been planned for the party to honour those that had died during the Great Battle for the Sanctuary, among them Flavio and the Bluewing Clan members that had died in sacrificing themselves to protect the blue-throated macaws from the flying foxes' invasion. Some of the birds were already grieving for the loss of those individuals, among them Marinho, Ultramarine and Neptune for Flavio and Violeta and the last of the Bluewing hyacinth macaws for their fallen comrades, however.

 **Outside the hospital**

Months after the war, the last of the casualties were ready for release. These casualties were Blu, Flor, Triton, Eustace, Athos, Ash and the eight former prisoners. Titania, Virgil and Ceres had already been released and now it was these twelve birds' turn. Their friends and families waited for their emergence after so long, and they were perched on the lowest branches of the trees closest to the hospital. Carla, Bia and Tiago waited with Luke, Linda and their new adopted brother, Eddie and also Justin, Charlotte, Matilda, Virgil (whose wing and shoulder had healed and had been released two days prior, along with Ceres and Titania) and their parents Zephyr and Venus. Venus held Azurite and Aquamarine in her wings while Charlotte stood with Músculo. Next to Zephyr's family, Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia stood with Kira, Turquesa and Garrett whose tail feathers had finally regrown, their wings interlocking or draped over their backs. Tyler and Ricardo, along with Tyler's mate Aurora and the two brothers' mother Cassia stood by Roberto's family, also excitedly waiting for the last of the casualties' release.

Next to the Spix macaws, Mercury, Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine, Annette and Squaw'tagnan waited with Mars, Chiquitita, Phobos, Deimos, Alexandre and Estelle, and Gabrielle, and also Io (whose partly tattered left wing had grown new feathers to replace the ones she had lost, though she had been still able to fly, albeit a little clumsily), Europa, Ganymede, Callisto who held Oliver and Amalthea, and Byron and Sheldon and Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, Iapetus and their younger brothers Gordon and Hyperion and friends Porthos, Brooke and Bastian. Mimas stood with her head resting on Ganymede's shoulder while Gordon and Hyperion clambered all over Enceladus and Iapetus's heads. With the blue-and-gold macaws stood Neptune, Ultramarine, Indigo and her mate Victor who donned his trademark fruit shell hat like always, Violet and Trixie who sat beside Enceladus, tittering as Enceladus struggled to move Hyperion from his head. Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Aramis and Benjamin who sat with Umbriel sat next to Cobalto, Ceres, Wilbur, Aurelio, Azul and Fernanda who held Desdemona and Lucy who squirmed in Azul and Fernanda's wings, excitedly looking forward to seeing their remaining patients again. The glaucous macaws, Charon, Quincy, Blueberry, Aiden and Neytiri sat with Sunset, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena, Diantha the toucan and also Orion, Velocity, Cometa and Lightning as they looked forward to seeing Eustace and Sunset and also Triton. Also with the group were Izzy, the sister of Venus and her mate Phoebus and their son Erico who was the same age as his cousins Justin and his siblings and friends. Lola, Mercury's mother, was also there, perched beside her son and daughter-in-law, her granddaughters and her mate, a male Lear's macaw named Anton and their son, Thomas, named in honour of Lola's first mate and Mercury's father.

Since being found by Marcus and the other allied flying foxes after managing to escape a savage colony flying fox attack, Lola had met Anton and the two eventually became mates. Izzy had become Anton's adopted daughter while Thomas, Lola and Anton's son had become her adopted brother but he was also the half-brother of Mercury and his deceased brothers and sister. Lola had had a tearful reunion with Mercury after being taken to him and had also been warmly welcomed by Sapphire, Phoebe, Jasmine and Annette, which Lola was happy for Mercury in managing to find a mate and have a brood of three daughters. Mercury had told Lola most of his adventures in the United Kingdom with Jupiter and the others and eventually how he came to meet Sapphire several years ago in Rio while Venus had told the same things to Izzy including how she came to meet Zephyr and Brisa. The long-lost mother of Mercury and sister of Venus had been amazed by their adventures and had been happy for the two in finding mates and having their own chicks.

Augustus and Melissa, together with Sebastian, Stella and Luna, also waited with the birds as they watched Travis Jewel, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto and Monique hover in front of one of the windows to the bird department of the hospital.

"Not long now, folks," said Augustus with a smile.

"I can't believe your city friends had somehow got involved in this conflict," said Izzy to Venus as she petted Erico, her eyes on Sunset and the other four cockatoos and also the peregrine falcons and Diantha.

"They weren't aware of the situation to begin with, sis," said Venus, "And were eventually dragged in."

"They have played a very important role throughout the whole war," said Zephyr, "Such as delivering us the change of kidnapping plans the colony flying foxes had with the discovery of that sleeping plant and also helping us to fight off those savage bats…"

"That half sulfur-crested, half-Major Mitchell's cockatoo must have been very brave to go as far as having his talon so badly mangled that it had to be amputated," said Phoebus in a slightly shaky voice.

"He helped to protect Flor, the daughter of my glaucous macaw friend Pluto and his mate, and some other macaws from being brutally killed, Phoebus," said Brisa, "But unfortunately, he paid a devastating price."

"I heard that the son of your hyacinth macaw friend had lost sight in his left eye trying to protect the three pups of an allied flying fox from certain death as well," said Lola as she sat next to Mercury.

"Yeah, he did," said Neptune sadly, "When I heard and saw the result, I was absolutely horrified and my heart felt as though it had dropped to the very bottom of my body. It was honestly like a living nightmare."

"I bet it was," said Lola's second mate, Anton, "I would be just as utterly horrified as well if anything like that ever happened to my son."

Thomas just shrugged. Then Victor gazed at the scar skin streaking the midsection of his torso.

"Well, I don't know how I am gonna live with these marks," he muttered. Indigo smiled at him.

"Frodo did tell us of a way to help reduce those scars, my dear," she crooned lovingly, a wing on Victor's cheek, "But despite that mark, you're the same loving Victor I know."

Victor smiled back and affectionately wrapped his wings around Indigo's wing near his face. Ceres smiled as she sat with Cobalto and her sons and two daughters.

"Andromeda's father Talonclaw had a set of three very large gashes of scar tissue streaking his torso from a narrow escape from a predatory bat-bird in Jurassic Jungle and he had learned to live with it," said Azul, "So that's not to say that you can't live with that set of scars on your torso either, Victor."

Victor smiled as Azul turned to his mother whose forehead was slashed with one large scar and another scar ran through the left side of her plumage. "The same applies to you, Mom."

Ceres gazed down at the streak of scar tissue streaking like a snake from the top of her left leg up to her neck and brushed it with her wing.

"To hear how she survived having a gash like THAT is unbelievable," said Lola as she gazed at the long scar, "I thought she would have died suffering an injury like that."

Then Ceres gazed at the hospital as Jewel and company continued hovering before the open window.

"Well, I hope Triton and Flor aren't going to suffer too much teasing for their scars ether," she said. Cobalto, Wilbur, Azul, Fernanda and Neptune and his family sighed, hoping that Penelope would accept Triton's permanent scarring and eye loss. Then they turned and faced the hospital. Within moments, Jewel's group was returning, a number of more birds having been added to them.

"Here they come," cried Mars excitedly and with that, the large group of birds and Augustus and his family erupted into a cheer as Jewel, Monique, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Travis and Pluto returned with Blu, Flor, Triton, Eustace, Athos, Ash and also Lapis Lazuli, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo. As soon as the fourteen birds arrived, they were swallowed up by wings from their friends and families and bombarded with happy kisses and hugs. Callisto passionately kissed Athos while Serena embraced Eustace. Flor and Lapis Lazuli were also embraced by their family and Nuvem was greeted by his mate, two sons and his extended family. Waldo also hugged Mercury, Sapphire and his family and friends while Triton was hugged by his parents, sisters and Victor and also his friends, and Alfonso was locked in a hug with his brother Benjamin. However, Felipe, Pearl and Regina were back in the red tribe up to their duties but they looked forward to seeing Ruby and Alfonso again.

Lapis Lazuli, Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo were back to their old selves and their plumages were their usual vibrant colours once again. Before, these eight were scrawny, half-starved, almost naked birds with patches of feathers with scratches, bruises and injuries crisscrossing and spotting their skins and their eyes has been flooded with untold terror, delirium and desperation caused by lack of sleep for four days straight and the horrors their interrogators had been put through but now, they had recovered, their plumages, including their wing and tail flight feathers, having fully regrown and their builds were restored. Lapis Lazuli was a beautiful rich blue and grey bird and the Lapis Lazuli Pluto recognised and loved while Esmeralda and Ted were once again coated with leafy green and yellow-green feathers with their wings and tail spouting azure blue and red flight feathers. Their foreheads were also a deep red and they, too, were their old selves again. Esmeralda was fierce and tough as she had always been while Ted was energetic and brimming with humour and energy. Orquidea was also a beautiful aqua blue and yellow blue-and-gold macaw while Alfonso and Ruby were deep red with blue and yellow wings and tails again. Nuvem was also his old self and his cerulean and blue-white plumage had returned, and Waldo was also a navy blue and teal bird once again.

Blu also wore a cheery face as he relished his ability to fly once again while Athos smiled at being able to use his left talon once again. However, not all of the birds had recovered their appearances fully. Flor's sea-green plumage was marked by several scars crisscrossing her body and face while Ash's back was marked by a large patch of scar skin where the sharp-stick went in. Eustace's left talon was a mere stump and his lower body was marked with several scars and Triton's left facial side bore its scars where the flying fox had struck him. However, he wore the leafy bandana over his left eye to help conceal some of the damage and looked forward to adapting to life with just one eye with the help of his family and friends. After they broke the hug with Nuvem after he had kissed Cassia, Zephyr and Brisa smiled at their cousin.

"Look at you," said Zephyr, "You're just like your old self again."

"Yeah," said Nuvem as he gazed at his regrown plumage, "The humans in the hospital has looked after us very well."

Then laughter filled the air as Esmeralda playfully chased Uranus and Miranda, the others looking on and laughing. Then Augustus came in. however, when Lapis Lazuli's eyes landed on him, she stiffened and her eyes flooded with awareness. Pluto tried to calm her.

"It's alright, he's harmless," he said as Augustus stopped. Melissa also ordered Sebastian, Stella and Luna from approaching the timid glaucous macaw.

"It's what our former colony mates have put her and the other seven through that's caused her to be so wary even around us," he murmured with understanding. Lapis Lazuli continued cowering behind Pluto and Charon as though she expected Augustus to lash at her.

"It's going to take a very long time for those that had suffered the trauma at the wings of those horrible interrogators to get used to us," murmured Augustus, "Especially Lapis Lazuli."

"It's unforgivable what those bats have done, Augustus," said Jewel with a frown, "So it's no surprise that those eight will probably shun even the allied flying foxes for a long time to come."

She then gazed sympathetically at Lapis Lazuli as she was taken to another spot by Pluto. The fear of the flying foxes was also mirrored on Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo and they also showed discomfort around Augustus and Melissa as well despite their friendly and respectful attitude towards all birds but Augustus was not surprised. The fear and discomfort around the bats was one of the horrible deep aftereffects of the eight prisoners' ordeal though Cobalto and Ceres had it as well after their traumatising ordeal during the invasion of the Bluewing Clan and blue-throated macaws' home by Cicatriz and his minions. It was indeed going to take a long time for the birds that had suffered the most to recover mentally.

While the reunion continued, Triton stood back, his left eye covered by the leaf bandana when Sebastian came up to him with Stella and Luna.

"How does that leaf suit you, Triton?" he asked. Triton brushed the leaf with his wing.

"It suits me well," he said, "But…"

The three young albino flying foxes looked at him confused. "But what?" asked Sebastian. Triton's right eye, the only eye he had left that was functional, then travelled to Athos as he proposed to Callisto, followed by her pouncing onto him and showering him with smooches and then to Mimas leaning lovingly onto Ganymede's shoulder. Triton's right eye also landed on Justin, Charlotte, Matilda and Virgil as they nuzzled lovingly against their respective other halves, Carla, Músculo, Tiago and Bia. Alexandre, Io, Europa and Ganymede also nuzzled lovingly with their mates Estelle, Sheldon, Byron and Mimas while Jojo, Felix and Lavender affectionately rubbed beaks or leaned on Kira, Turquesa and Garrett. Titan and Brooke also nuzzled lovingly against each other while Umbriel and Benjamin sat next to each other as they talked with Alfonso. Triton then gazed at Indigo as he talked with Victor and Phoebe, Azul, Enceladus, Dione, Titan, Miranda and Oberon as they talked with Squaw'tagnan, Fernanda, Trixie, Porthos, Brooke, Aramis and Tethys. Neytiri and Aiden Also sat with Charon and Blueberry while Eustace and Rosa sat with Clemont and Serena as they talked with Velocity and Orion. As he gazed at the couples, Triton's right eye began to flood with sadness as he thought of Penelope.

"Triton?" asked Sebastian.

"What's the problem?" asked Stella. Triton didn't answer but bowed his head and turned the other way.

"You know you've got a lot to be thankful, Triton," said Luna, "Especially after you saved our lives. Too bad it cost you half your sight though."

Sebastian and Stella also looked on with sympathetic eyes when Phobos, Deimos, Jasmine, Annette, Wilbur, Aurelio, Ariel and Rhea walked in.

"Hey, Triton," said Phobos.

"Why are you so sad?" asked Deimos. Triton gazed back the two unusually small green-winged macaws, his right eye weeping a tear.

"Nothing," he said, trying to deny his sadness but the group saw through the façade.

"We can tell you're upset about something," said Jasmine, "We demand to know."

"Is it because of the other couples?" asked Annette. Triton did not answer and gazed back at her. Then Wilbur deduced what the problem was.

"I think it could be…" he began when suddenly; Ariel saw a familiar navy blue form fly in.

"Hey, it's Penelope," she said. At this, Triton's single eye darted from Ariel's group to the form as she flew in. Sebastian, Stella, Luna, Phobos and the others also gazed at the macaw. Triton froze as his single right eye fixated on the eyes of Penelope as she slowed to a hover, a necklace-like ornament with pieces of fruit shell and stones Triton had collected from his previous visits to Rio and, after being made by Athos and Bia at his request, been given to her as a gift as part of their relationship, clutched in her talons. Penelope's eyes then gazed at Triton's single eye and the scars running from under his bandana down his left cheek, but in those eyes was not sympathy, but the opposite.

"What is it, Penelope?" asked Triton in an edgy voice. Penelope did not answer at first but then her eyes closed, her face turned away and her talons clutching the necklace rose. Then her talons flung the necklace back at Triton's face, slapping against his forehead and dislodging his bandana, exposing part of his damaged, clouded eye. Shock tore through the group as they were taken aback by this action. Triton then caught the necklace and fluttered towards Penelope.

"What was THAT for!?" he demanded. Penelope then turned and flew away, not looking at him.

"I have no use for that, one-eyed freak," she retorted coldly. This struck poor Triton like a bite from a poisonous snake and he froze. Then as the venom from that scathing comment took hold, his heart dropped like a stone and he fell on his front, his right eye weeping and fixing on the necklace, sobs escaping his throat. Then Triton's right eye looked on as Penelope receded into the distance, her back turned to him. When he saw what Penelope had done to him, Brnaco tore after the hyacinth macaw.

"Don't you just realise you've just broken his heart!?" he barked. No reply. Sebastian raised his voice. "Hey, Penelope, are you listening to me?"

Still Penelope pretended that Sebastian wasn't there and continued receding into the trees. Sebastian screeched Penelope's name over and over again to no avail. Seeing this, he gave up and flopped onto a branch as Phobos and Deimos flew up to him, their disgusted eyes fixated on the receding hyacinth macaw.

"Well, that's it!" snarled Phobos sourly, "She's out of our inner circle of friends."

"Yeah, we will drive her away the next time she tries to join us in our regular meetings," put in Deimos. Sebastian continued to lie on his belly, dumbfounded.

"I-I-I don't believe it," he murmured, "How… how could she do this to her own boyfriend, especially after he had saved my life and my two sisters from that bat?"

"Not to mention ignore her clan leader and her parents' rebukes," put in Phobos.

"I've got two words for her regarding that, Sebastian," said a voice. At this, Phobos, Deimos and Sebastian turned and saw Estelle and Alexandre fly in. Estelle, who had spoken, continued, "Too stubborn."

Alexandre then flew over to Triton, who was still lying on his front crying, as Sebastian stared at Estelle.

"And another thing, she seems to have no thoughts about me, Stella and Luna and why Triton had to face the cost of half his sight to save us either," he said disgustedly. Estelle nodded in agreement. Then she, Phobos, Deimos and Sebastian gazed at Triton as he continued to sob his eye out, comforting wings on his shoulders and back as the others had gathered round after hearing his sobs.

"Looks like we have another macaw with a mental injury to help," said Phobos, "Only this time, it's a broken heart."

Deimos, Sebastian and Estelle agreed to this. Penelope was indeed too stubborn and absolutely rejected Triton's tragic change in appearance as a result of his sacrifice to save Sebastian, Stella and Luna, the three offspring of the two flying foxes who had played a very major role in helloing the birds through the war, from certain death at the clutches of that hulking flying fox that had been sent by Cicatriz to deal with them. It was going to be a difficult time for Neptune's family in dealing with Triton's heartbreak and also adapting to his new way of life with just one eye.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51- celebrations and epilogue**

The last of the patients from the hospital had been welcomed with open wings. Blu had been welcomed by his tribe-mates as had Waldo with the Lear's macaws, Lapis Lazuli and Triton with the glaucous macaws and hyacinth macaws, and also Esmeralda, Orquidea, Ruby, Alfonso, Ted, Nuvem and Waldo and the other remaining patients with the other tribes and clans as well. Then soon after, all the birds of the Amazon, along with Augustus's new clan, had had a massive party to celebrate their victory over Cicatriz's colony, carried out in an area in Andromeda's clan's territory. A huge variety of food had been brought by every tribe, clan and small group into the territory so there was a wide selection of food to choose from. All the residents celebrated with their tribe and clan theme dances. The Spix tribe danced to their theme 'Beautiful Creatures', while the red tribe danced to 'The Red Macaws with the Blue, Yellow and Green Wings'. The blue-and-gold tribe danced to' Blue and Gold Feathers in the Blue Sky and Golden Sun' while the green tribe danced to their theme, 'We Are Green Macaws Living in the Green Jungle'. the green tribe's dance was succeeded by the Lear's tribe who danced to their elegant and complicated theme, 'Elegant Navy Birds in the Glorious Jungle', featuring the kaleidoscopic pattern of the dancers in certain parts of the song.Next, the blue-throated macaw clan danced to their song, 'We Love the Wildlife', with some of the hyacinth macaws participating. Then the Navyfeather Clan and the glaucous macaws danced to their song, 'Dance of the Navyfeather Hyacinth and Glaucous Macaws', and Andromeda's clan performed their dance around a large fire, which they had been granted permission by the other birds to feature in the party since they knew how to contain fires very well. Then after Andromeda's clan had performed their dance, Augustus and his clan, together with the birds that the allied flying foxes had helped protect, performed a dance they had built themselves.

Unlike Cicatriz's and his colony's dance which had been very dark with the body décor being an ugly black body paint with blood red marks, the body paint and décor of Augustus and his clan was prettier and involved bright and cheerful colours. The male flying foxes used blue and yellow fruit and pollen paint for their faces, bodies and wings while the females applied orange and red paint. The helped birds did the same and their other body décor of choice included exotic flowers such as orchids and bromeliads, as well as vines and leaves. The clan dance did not have a name yet but its lyrics were bird-friendly and not very anti-bird unlike Cicatriz and his colony's dance. The flying foxes were an awesome sight to watch, their wings which bore brightly coloured pollen and fruit paint contrasting brilliantly with the black membranes, swinging out elegantly like a bird's feathered wings, far prettier than that of the colony flying foxes. Then after Augustus and company had finished their dance, everyone had mixed, dancing together and feasting. The city birds, Nico, Pedro the cardinal, Rose, Sparkle, Rafael, Eva, Diantha, Travis, Sunset, Eustace, Milo, Rosa, Clemont, Serena and Velocity, Orion, Cometa and Lightning, also participated. In the middle of the dance, announcements were made by the tribe and clan leaders, among them Jewel, Felipe, Alonso and Waldo, in honour of Augustus and his family for their bravery and their helping of the bird tribes and clans throughout the war, as well as those that had died to save so many lives, such as many of the Bluewing Clan hyacinth macaws including Demetrio, Violeta's mate and the father of Vincente and Arlo, who had been confirmed dead when his body had been found by a patrol group in the Bluewing Clan's former territory, and also Valentino, the former patriarch of the Lear's tribe. This lead to a funeral as the birds and allied flying foxes stopped to pay their respects to their fallen comrades. Next, Waldo had announced his stepping down as leader after what had happened and had handed the role to Sapphire and Mercury, much to their surprise, and Augustus also made his announcements, including thanking Triton over and over again for saving his and Melissa's offspring, Sebastian, Stella and Luna which cheered Triton up despite his heartbreak caused by Penelope's breaking up with him. After this, the party resumed and many songs were performed.

Nico and Pedro performed their famous samba song 'Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)' which prompted Blu and Jewel to dance together to, as well as the other couples such as Zephyr and Venus, Brisa and Roberto, Nuvem and Cassia, and Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Ceres and Pluto with their respective partners Sapphire, Chiquitita, Ruby, Orquidea, Esmeralda, Ultramarine, Cobalto and Lapis Lazuli. Rafael danced with Eva while Travis danced with Sunset. Eva tried to sing but before her screechy voice could shatter the air and spoil everyone else's good time, Cometa and Lightning came in and bound her beak shut with the help of Skyla (Mariposa's mother) and some other smaller birds such as chestnut-fronted macaws and golden parakeets, much to Rafael's immense chagrin! There was no way anyone else was going to have their ears pierced by Eva's so-called 'singing'. Because of this, Rafael and Eva had left the dancefloor to have some romantic time outside while everyone else continued to party. After 'Hot Wings', the best singers also sung their songs. Roberto, Brisa, Jojo, Felix, Lavender, Chilro and Ophelia sung a few songs while Carla and Justin, together with Bia, Virgil, Charlotte, Músculo, Matilda, Tiago and Kira and Jojo performed as a dancing group, dancing to songs played from Io's Ipod which she had had in her possession all along. Venus and Zephyr also danced to their favourite song, 'Always' by Erasure while the other couples danced to their favourite songs too. It truly was a disco of a lifetime and everyone enjoyed it.

The party lasted well into the night and the following morning, everyone slept in but in the coming days, their sleep pattern returned to normal. A few weeks following the party, the Amazon Pity of Games League was back on track and all the residents in the Sanctuary de Amazon resumed their competition, picking up where they left off before the cancellation due to the flying fox situation. The city birds had also returned to Rio while the league continued. Augustus and his clan of bats participated and had played very well. They to beat the green macaws but lost to the Spix macaws and were dropped out of the league. The league finally ended with the Spix macaws winning in the finals against the archaeobirds, who rode on their bat-birds to help them play soccer, and had won the year's Amazon Pit of Games League.

During the league, things continued to improve. Triton had learned to adapt to life with just one eye and eventually overcome his heartbreak caused by Penelope's breakup with him thanks to the support from his family and friends while Penelope had been kicked out of Carla's circle of friends. Triton had been encouraged that there was someone out there for him that will accept him for who he was much to his raised spirits. As for Penelope, she had paired up with a male hyacinth macaw and had continued to shun Triton. Sebastian, Stella and Luna had become part of the circle and Sebastian and Stella had paired up with a male and a female flying fox and had started dating them. Furthermore, Carla's circle of friends had had new additions: Frodo the Cuban macaw and his girlfriend Ellie, a purple-and-pink macaw named Pitaya and her boyfriend, and also two Dominican green-and-yellow macaws who were also a couple. Eustace back in Rio had also learned to adapt to life with one talon while those that had suffered utter trauma at the wings of the evil colony flying foxes slowly warmed up to Augustus and his clan. Lapis Lazuli slowly got used to the friendly flying foxes though the scars and nightmares she still had of the evil bats attacking and interrogating her still remained, albeit reduced. Things really were improving after the dark times when Cicatriz and his colony were hatching their plots to drive out the bird tribes, clans and groups of the Sanctuary de Amazon.

That's not all. The land once inhabited by the colony flying foxes was also recovering. When the colony flying foxes had lived there, the land had been shrouded with darkness, devoid of any birdlife, and was nothing more than a graveyard of the bird tribes and clans that had once lived there before the bats drove them out. Patrols had been in this land and had seen its recovery in progress. Furthermore, they had seen no trace of any colony flying foxes present. It seemed that the colony had indeed broken down and the bats had fled in disgrace or had settled into small clans, hopefully with the colony's teachings completely swept away, replaced by new teachings that birds were not to be messed with. This was exactly what Augustus wanted and as new pups were born in his clan, they were taught how to respect birds and why they should not be messed with and when they were older, they were taught about the Great Battle for the Sanctuary, what teachings the colony had about the birds and why they were so hostile towards all birds of the Amazon. Augustus and the other allied flying foxes couldn't be happier; the peace between the flying foxes and the birds had finally been established after so long.

 **Epilogue**

In the Spix tribe's ravine, the activities of the Spix macaws continued like usual. Macaws were flying out on patrols, foraging for food and parents were raising their chicks. Some more macaws were throwing themselves onto the lilypads and skiing. However, there were several odd colours dotting the air of the ravine. Green, red and navy blue forms were also present for green, red, hyacinth and Lear's macaws had come to visit, along with some other birds and a few flying foxes. Carla and Justin were talking with Milo through an Ipod Travis had given to the group to allow communication between the city birds and the Sanctuary de Amazon residents. While the couple did that, Virgil, Bia, Tiago, Matilda, Jojo and Kira watched as Triton, as usual with the bandana over his right eye, threw himself at a lilypad and skated on it along with Sebastian and their new friend, Frodo the Cuban macaw. The trio laughed as they surfed along.

"He's adapting very well to living with half his sight, isn't he?" said Virgil, his wing draped over Bia's shoulder.

"Hey, guys, did you hear the news about Mercury, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli and Pluto?" asked Kira. Virgil, Bia, Jojo, Tiago and Matilda gazed at her.

"They've recently had a clutch of one or two eggs," said Kira.

"Oh, that's brilliant," said Jojo with a smile.

"At least those clutches will replace their lost chicks," said Tiago.

"Also, Squaw'tagnan and Phoebe are planning on starting a family," added Kira, "And would like to go to Rio once their chicks are old enough."

"So are the rest of us," said Tiago as he leaned onto Matilda's crown, "We're gonna go to Rio as well."

"Guys," called Carla's voice, attracting the attention of the six macaws to her and Justin.

"Milo has something to tell you," said Justin and with that, he held the Ipod with Carla so that Bia, Tiago, Matilda, Virgil, Kira and Jojo could speak to him.

"Orion and Velocity have paired up with two peregrine falcons from the Control de Plagas (Pest Control in Spanish) Squad," said Milo with a wide smile, "While Eustace and Serena have just had a clutch of two eggs."

Immense joy splashed through the six macaws.

"Oh, I'm so happy for them," said Jojo with a smile.

"Uncle Travis and Aunt Sunset are gonna be grandparents," said Virgil.

"And since Serena is a full sulfur-crested cockatoo and Eustace is half sulfur-crested, half Major Mitchell's," said Bia, "Their chicks are gonna be three-quarter sulfur-crested, one-quarter Major Mitchell's."

The others smiled at Bia's scientific nature.

"You and your scientific lingo, Bia," said Milo on the Ipod amused, "So yep, I'm gonna be an uncle."

How are Broccoli, James, Daisy and their friends over there?" asked Matilda.

"Broccoli and Daisy are doing fine," said Milo, "As are James, his girlfriend Ebony, and also Pelusa the Shih Tzu and Nevado the Persian cat, James's two cat and dog club friends, and also Nico, Pedro, Rose and Sparkle and their clubbers," his face then turned serious, "But as for Rafael and Eva, they have just had _another_ clutch… of three eggs."

Disbelief ignited in the six Spix macaws and also Carla and Justin.

"You're kidding us," said Virgil. Milo shook his head to confirm that he wasn't.

"Is it any wonder Rafael and Eva have developed a rift between themselves and Uncle Travis and Aunt Sunset who cannot have any more kids," said Matilda.

"It honestly makes those two cockatoos feel small," said Tiago. Milo nodded in agreement.

"Are any of you couples expecting any chicks or pups over there?" he asked.

"We haven't got down to implementing our plans on having chicks of our own yet, Milo," said Carla, "But we will eventually get to it."

"But at least Eustace and Serena have gone ahead with it," said Virgil with a smile, "I look forward to meeting their chicks when they hatch."

"It would be interesting to see how they'll appear as a result of their heritage," said Bia.

"Well, I should imagine they'll resemble a sulfur-crested cockatoo more than a Major Mitchell's cockatoo," said Milo, "After all, their mother is a pure sulfur-crested."

He then felt it was time to move on. "Anyway, can I speak to Carla and Justin alone please?" he asked. Bia, Tiago, Jojo, Kira, Matilda and Virgil smiled and handed the Ipod back to Carla and Justin but not saying goodbye to Milo. After this, the six walked towards the edge of the ravine pool.

"He certainly is looking forward to becoming an uncle, isn't he?" said Matilda.

"Yep," said Virgil before he turned to Bia with a loving smile, "And I look forward to having our own chicks as well."

Bia smiled, wrapped her wings around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. The other four looked on and smiled.

"Our parents are indeed looking forward to becoming grandmas and grandpas when we do have our own kids," said Tiago to the other three. Matilda, Jojo and Kira nodded as Bia and Virgil broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Then the six turned and watched the activities of the other Spix macaws as they talked with the visiting red, green, Lear's and hyacinth macaws and other birds, among them some chestnut-fronted macaws, golden conures, blue-headed macaws, red-fronted macaws and more, as well as the newly befriended flying foxes from Augustus's clan, which marked the beginnings of a new chapter for all the residents of the Sanctuary de Amazon. The flying fox colony, the threat that hung over every bird tribe, clan and group like a black cloud had finally been decimated and everyone, including the allied flying foxes, were finally at peace. However, the allied flying foxes, along with the birds they had rescued from the colony bats, had promised to keep an eye and ear on the former colony bats that had settled into little groups or clans in case any revenge plot was hatched. If so, the allied flying foxes promised the bird flocks that they will let them know so that they would take action and nip it in the bud before it developed into a full-blown threat. However, it seemed unlikely for those former colony bats had learned their lesson not to mess with anyone feathered and armed with dangerous beaks and talons, especially based on a bunch of lies, a fact that everyone, including the allied flying foxes, were glad for.

 **And that's it. This is the end of the story. I'm impressed at how it had turned out and I beeive this is better than the previous version that I deleted ages ago. And believe it or not, this is the longest story I have ever written. Peace has finally returned to the Sanctuary de Amazon and the enmity between the flying foxes and the birds has finally been extinguished. Anyway, I have in mind a sequel that will pick up a good while after this story and it will revolve around Carla and company, including Sebastian, Stella and Luna, many who will have started their own families and have become proud parents of their own clutches of chicks or pups, and their adventures in Rio, so stay tuned for this possible sequel!**

 **VPVPVP**


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